About A Boy
by allessandramari
Summary: About A Boy features a new resident of Stars Hollow who brings the town closer in their quest to help, touching their hearts, and inspiring them to make sure he doesn't fill the now empty town Hoodlum spot. Rory/Jess, Luke/Lorelai, Taylor, and the town elders. Story 8 in my post series world.
1. Chapter 1:Watching Through Windows

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter One: Watching Through Windows

He was standing in the shadow of the gazebo watching the diner. He hadn't ever eaten there, no money for it, but he watched the townspeople, and tonight was special. It was a big family dinner. He couldn't believe so many people, who were related, liked each other enough to be in the same room together. Celebrating without being drunk off their asses or high. The two sides of the new family even seemed to get along, which was weird. This whole strange town had been celebrating because the Wandering Man had married The Princess. He didn't know if she was a real princess, but he'd heard enough people call her one, so he thought she probably was. He could ask, but the kids at his new school all seemed to know each other and he didn't want them to think he was stupid. It was bad enough being the mysterious new 5th grader in this crazy town. Mysterious because he didn't want everyone to know about his sucky life, didn't want their pity. He kept to himself and sketched. It made the girls like him more, 'course they liked his dark grayish blue eyes and the fact he was tall too.

He needed to get back to his grandma's. Not that she was looking for him. She really didn't care what he did, or how late he was out, or him, but he never knew when Social Services might show. He didn't want to end up in a foster home again. With his mom in jail for the "maximum sentence" because she was a "habitual offender" his Grandma Betty was his last hope before ending up in the system for good. He didn't understand it all, no matter how much his grandma screamed it at him. His mom had lost her rights to him. He was a ward of the state now. The Wandering Man had been in the system. He'd done foster care; his mom had been in jail. It was the talk around town for a while, the speech from a town meeting was rehashed countless times by the gazebo. Seeing the Wandering Man looking out the window at him, he decided he'd better go. Besides, it was too hard to watch them eating what looked like twenty different types of food. He was always hungry. For as long as he could remember, he'd been hungry. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he turned away from the happy scene and shuffled toward his grandma's.

**A/N- This story is inspired by an incredible young man I have had the honor of knowing for the last three years. ****I wish him all the best, the hope for a better life, and I hope I do his character justice in this story. He's changed me, I'm a better person for knowing him. He inspires me to walk in other's shoes.**


	2. Chapter 2: I Remember Now

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Two: I Remember

The silhouette of the boy outside the diner window was eating at Jess. He was trying to work out why he couldn't quit thinking about it. No one else had seen him, but Jess was pretty sure the kid had been watching for some time. Sitting at his desk while Rory talked to Lorelai about the wedding gifts they'd unwrapped at the Dragonfly, (what the hell were they supposed to do with the two giant dog statues?) Jess jotted the incident down. It was the lack of movement which clued him in to how long the boy stood there. He'd been facing the windows for a while; he would've noticed someone crossing the square. No, the boy had been standing in the shadows before Jess sat down. It was only when he was trying to avoid T.J.'s version of conversation, he'd seen the absence of light where the boy stood.

"So, we have to take Jimmy, Sasha and Lilly to the airport tomorrow, I thought we could do breakfast with them beforehand," Rory interrupted, wrapping her arms around Jess's neck and leaning against his back. "Working on something new?"

"No, you remember last night? When I asked who's the kid, and no one but me had seen him? I'm trying to figure it out, he's familiar somehow. Here, I wrote it down. And breakfast with Lilly and family sounds fine. What do you want for dinner tonight?" Jess asked, standing to wrap his arms around Rory's waist while she read. "Rory? Dinner?" he asked, in between placing small kisses on her neck.

"Hmmm, Luke's? There's a new boy in town, always by himself. I've seen him sitting by the gazebo, watching the townspeople. He sketches. You should get us Luke's. I'll call Miss Patty, see if she knows anything. He has light brownish hair, almost blond, I think. Maybe it's the same kid," Rory said. She didn't know why this was important to Jess, but she'd do what she could to help.

"Regular order?" Jess asked, grabbing his wallet and leaning down for a kiss. "Hmm. Sure you're hungry? We could eat later, much later," Jess said with a smirk, tightening his hold.

"Tempting, but I'm hungry. We kind of skipped lunch today, what with sleeping late and gift opening," Rory said.

"Sleeping late? Is that what we're calling it now?" Jess laughed as he headed out the door, smirking at Rory's blush.

Jess walked the short distance to Luke's searching for the boy as he went. Not seeing him, he pushed open the door to the diner and, for once, enjoyed the silence at his appearance.

"Jess? We didn't think you'd leave the house for days. Is everything okay between you and Rory?" Babette asked. Jess grimaced.

"All good, Babette. Luke, we need sustenance. Three cheeseburgers, three orders of fries and a salad. And pie. Any danish left? Damn, she's right. I'm hungry," Jess said.

"That'll happen when you're using up so much energy. With sex, you know? And you guys, newly married, you're probably doing it like bunnies," Babette said, causing everyone in the diner to wait for the explosion. Luke didn't disappoint.

"Enough! There will be no insinuations about Rory and Jess's activities in my diner during dinner. Scratch that. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any other time during the day. No one talks about it. Ever," Luke roared while adjusting his hat.

"Luke, you've got to get over this! Rory and I are adults, and sometimes when two adults love each other," Jess said, pushing Luke's buttons.

"Stop! Or there will be no food leaving this diner," Luke threatened. Jess smirked and sat down to wait, thoroughly enjoying Luke's discomfort. Watching out the window, he saw movement by the gazebo.

"Hey Luke, add in a hamburger too," he said, ignoring Luke's curious look. Taking the box of food outside, Jess headed to the gazebo. The boy was on a bench, a sketch pad open on his lap, sitting sideways while watching Doose's market. He was intent on his illustration, and Jess sat on the bench across from him. He knew instantly when the boy realized he was being watched. A slight tensing of the shoulders, a shift in his posture. He didn't withdrawal though. He didn't pull away with a scowl the way Jess would've at the same age. Thinking back, Jess knew he'd seen this kid before. Flashes of the boy people watching here, in the park, under a tree by the bridge. Against a tree on Peach. Always watching, always sketching. The boy turned to face him, looking at him with large dark bluish-grey eyes.

"Huh," Jess said, meeting the boy look for look. The boy gave him a half smile. He'd heard the Crazy Coffee Lady say "huh" was the only word the Hoodlum had said for years. This town was so insane; it made the boy happy to know the rumors were based on fact. His stomach clenching in hunger brought him back to reality and his nostrils flared at the scent of burgers. Jess watched the play of expressions flitting across the boy's thin face. It was obvious he was hungry. His eyes kept darting to the box of food next to Jess. "What's your name?" Jess asked.

"Garret."

"Well Garret. I need to get back to my bride. My name's Jess. I've never seen you in Luke's. Don't you like burgers?" Garret shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his sketch pad. Jess smirked. He could read this kid so easily. "What's your favorite, cheeseburger or hamburger?" he asked.

"Cheeseburger, I guess," Garret said, glancing at Jess before looking down again. Jess pulled the burger out of the box.

"You're in luck then. As a Gilmore, Rory has a huge appetite, but I doubt even she can eat four burgers, fries and pie. Luke threw in extra. One of the benefits of being related to a diner owner. Here you go," Jess said, tossing Garret a sack with the burger and some fries.

"I can't pay you," Garret said, fiddling with the cheeseburger, but not unwrapping it.

"Tell you what, have you ever sketched Rory? My wife?" Jess asked, standing and picking up the box.

"Yeah," Garret replied, embarrassed. Jess smiled.

"Next time you see me around, I want to see your sketches. One creative person to another. Maybe you can give me one of Rory for my office. Enjoy the burger." Jess waved goodbye, and when he glanced back, he saw the boy eating the cheeseburger with a content look on his face.


	3. Chapter 3: Breaking Hearts

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Three: Breaking Hearts

Rory was sitting at the kitchen table closing her phone when Jess walked into the house with the food from Luke's. Placing the box on the table, he pulled her into his arms.

"What is it?" he asked. Rory buried her head into his chest, and choked back her tears.

"I don't understand people. I don't understand how your mom could have treated you the way she did. Or how Grandma could have driven my mom away, or how his mother and grandmother could do this to him." Jess skipped over the questions about his mom and Emily, he knew they were rhetorical. They'd both made peace with the past. Rubbing Rory's back, he focused on the last part. The part which had her crying in his arms.

"Who's mother?"

"The boy's. Even if he's not the same boy you saw, his name is Garret. He's been here since February. Patty said his mom is in jail for using and selling drugs. Apparently the dad is unknown. DSS tried to find him based on the possible names the mom gave, but every paternity test came back negative. They do that now, you know. When someone applies for state aid, they go after the missing parent for child support. His mom doesn't have a clue who donated the sperm. He'll never know who his dad is, can you imagine not even knowing the name?" Jess sighed into her hair.

"I don't know. I'd say knowing Jimmy knew about me was harder. I had a lot of anger because he left me. Didn't want to know me. At least Garret probably knows his mom doesn't have a clue. I'm sure she wasn't quiet about it," Jess paused, gathering his thoughts, and when she felt his body tense, Rory knew she was going to get another insight into his past. "When I was very young, like four or five, I used to daydream he hadn't left me. That he was in jail for something. Jewel thief, or bank robber. Jimmy being in jail would have been easier." Rory's stomach clenched, and a shiver ran down her arms. Hugging Jess tight, she continued, knowing he wasn't looking for pity, only trying to give her insight into Garret's life.

"Garret lives with his grandma who isn't- Jess, she couldn't care less about him. She took him in because she's his only relative, but she's changed nothing about her life. Taylor told Patty her grocery order hasn't increased. He doesn't think the boy gets to eat anything except the school lunch. I'm sure she gets a stipend of some sort for him. Patty said the grandma spends any extra money she has on vodka. Stars Hollow has always been a great place to live. There are only a few people who my mom told me to stay away from as a child. His grandma was one of them. She's a vicious drunk. She took after Lane with a stick once for being too loud. And not rebellious drummer Lane, but shy quiet kindergarten Lane."

"I talked to him in the square. I know you hate to hear this, and might not understand it, but he probably loves his mom. He may even love his grandmother. It could be worse. He isn't like me. He's open. Friendly. I've made contact with him, and it sounds like the town is aware of the situation. We'll keep an eye out for him, okay?"

"Patty said he's respectful, polite. I hate the idea of someone starving here in Stars Hollow. I feel like we should do something, but I don't know what," Rory added.

"I'll talk to Taylor, see what's up with the groceries," Jess said, smoothing Rory's hair away from her face and kissing her lightly on the forehead. "Let's eat, and go to Doose's." Rory nodded her agreement and they ate dinner lost in thought. Jess, thinking how different his life would have been if Liz would have come home after he was born, and Rory, thinking how lucky she was things turned out so well for her.

* * *

Walking to Doose's with his arm around Rory shoulders, Jess felt her tense.

"Yeah, it's him. I haven't seen him standing yet, but I'd bet money it's the same kid I saw through the diner window," Jess said into Rory's ear. Wrapping her arm tighter around his waist, she pulled him closer.

"He's watching everyone interact and enjoy life instead of being part of it. Can we talk to him?" Rory asked. Jess nodded.

"Follow my lead, don't get emotional. Don't show him any pity. He'd hate it," Jess said as he guided Rory to the benches, and sat down with her, pulling her against him. He leaned against the bench and dropped his head back, closing his eyes, basking in the afternoon sun. Rory smiled at Garret and snuggled into Jess's chest, closing her eyes and enjoying Jess's scent. Sneaking looks from under her lashes.

Watching the couple, Garret turned to a new page in his sketch book and began drawing them. After a few minutes of listening to the pencil scratch against the paper, Jess opened his eyes. The boy was so focused, as he added details, he didn't notice his subjects attention. When he quit glancing at them, and was concentrating on the drawing, Rory moved to sit next to him. Jess looked on, amused by her curiosity as she watched the boy work. Putting his pencil down, and flexing his fingers, Garret froze when he noticed Rory next to him. Taking the sketch pad out of his hand, she looked closer at his picture.

"Wow. You're an incredible artist. Way beyond your age," Rory said, not noticing Garret's frantic look at Jess or Jess's smirk as he shrugged his shoulders. Garret relaxed as Rory continued. "It looks exactly like Jess! But you made me look too beautiful," Rory added. Jess laughed at Garret's confused expression. It was obvious Garret disagreed.

"Let's see," Jess took the sketch book out of Rory's hands. "She's right, you're good, and you drew Rory accurately. I want to see your other stuff, but right now we need to head to the store before it closes. See ya, Garret," Jess said, handing him his sketch pad.

"It was nice to meet you, and I want to see your stuff too. Bye now," Rory said, following Jess. Garret waved goodbye and watched them walk away, he wasn't sure what was going on. Their interest in him didn't feel like a bad thing, and he had an idea what it might be. He knew the Wandering Man had seen him watching the diner. He was probably checking him out to make sure he was safe to be near his princess. Yeah. That was it. Everyone said Jess protected those he loved, and he loved Rory. He'd want to know about the person watching them. Gathering his pad and extra pencils, Garret left the square and headed to his grandmas, unaware of Rory keeping an eye on him through the store window.

**A/N- The paternity tests do happen in some states. A cousin of mine was the 6th man tested (or was it 7?) and that's how he found out he had a ten year old son. Their story turned out great. He loves the fact he has a son, and has welcomed the kiddo into his life.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Softer Side Of Taylor

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Four: The Softer Side of Taylor

"He reminds me of you. He's quiet, focused, always by himself. You read, he draws. Course, he isn't breaking town laws left and right," Taylor said. Jess smirked in response.

"Well, he's young. Give him time. In a few more years he could be spray painting with the best of us," Jess replied, enjoying Taylor's dismay.

"No, we learned our lesson with you. We know we didn't help or even try. We're approaching him differently. Welcoming him, trying to get to know him before making judgments," Taylor replied. Jess didn't know where to go with Taylor's statement. He didn't know if he would have let them in, had they continued to try. Seeing the blank look in Jess's eyes, Rory decided to take the lead.

"Tell us about his home life. Patty said his grandma isn't buying him food?"

"No, she doesn't. It's dreadful. I've been dropping off a box of food for the last couple of weeks. It hasn't been much, and I'm ashamed to admit the goods were near their expiration dates," Taylor said, sheepish.

"If he's hungry, the dates aren't going to matter. He appreciates it. I know I would have," Jess said. Taylor shrugged his shoulders.

"It isn't enough, but I thought of a way to help him, and the other hungry children in our community. You gave me the idea. I've contacted the school, and it'll start next week, but I'm looking for donations to help cover the cost, if you want to help," Taylor said, looking at Rory.

"I gave you the idea?" Rory asked, confused.

"I remembered your article on the Backpack Program from last year. I'm starting one here. I talked to the counselor at the school and she said there are eight kids at the elementary, and three at the middle school, who would benefit from a bag of food every weekend. Even here in Stars Hollow, some families have been hit hard by the economy or medical bills. Like your old friend Shane from the hair salon. She has cancer and three children, the poor woman. I blame the chemicals she uses. I should look into an ordinance against them, for the sake of the rest of the beauty industry workers." Seeing Rory's look of dismay and Jess's raised eyebrows, Taylor got back on track. "I'm going to donate what I can each Thursday, so the children have something to take home on Friday. Get them through the weekend when they don't get a school lunch," Taylor replied. Jess pulled out his check book.

"How much? How much to make sure the bags have fresh fruit. I also want to provide snacks for the week. Good stuff kids like, and for the weekends- cereal, soups, mac and cheese. Stuff they can cook themselves, or eat cold. We don't have a food pantry in Stars Hollow, so what can we do for these families?" Jess asked Taylor.

"I don't know. Let's sit down and look at prices before you write a check for the Backpack Program. The families? Well, if we had enough in donations, we could set up accounts so they could buy the basics. Milk, bread, fruits, veggies. I don't know though. I think in two cases, it would have to be in the children's names. Not the parents. Let me make some calls and see if I can get the school officials and a few more interested parties to a meeting. Say in an hour at Luke's?" Taylor asked.

"Sounds good. We'll see you at Luke's," Jess replied.

Arriving at the diner Rory filled Luke and Lorelai in on the conversation with Taylor, and with what they had learned about Garret. Lorelai and Luke were both quiet on the subject of Garret, listening and exchanging looks. On the subject of the food programs, they expressed definite opinions.

"So we'll need to gather some donations, because this isn't a once in a while issue. It's on going, year after year. It's easy to forget even in a small town, there are things we don't know about the people around us. I can think of three families who might be struggling," Lorelai said. Luke nodded his agreement.

"I keep going back to the 'if you teach a man to fish' saying. What can we do to help the problem at its core? Jobs? All of us our business owners. Can we afford to hire someone? Might be better than throwing money at the problem. Give people a sense of belonging and worth too."

"Maybe it's a combination of both? I'm sure the school officials won't give us names, but they could give us ideas so we know. Maybe they could point someone my direction who might be willing to work mornings as a maid? I'm looking for part-time help. Or here in the diner on the weekends. Maybe you can finally take a whole day off every week. Shane wouldn't be able to, she's been too weak after chemo to work anywhere. Plus I think she has to be careful of exposure to germs," Lorelai added. Jess leaned back in his chair and took Rory's hand.

"Because of our partners, I don't know if we could hire someone right now. We could, however, use a cleaning lady. For both our house and the bookstore," Jess said.

"Oh, me too! My house too!" Lorelai squealed. Luke laughed.

"I could go for one. I'm sure there are other businesses in town who might be looking for employees. What's that thing April's doing? Work Study? Maybe we can start something like it, partially fund employment at places. Let's see what they say, here they come." They watched as Taylor and Miss Patty led four people into the diner, and after a couple of hours of hashing out the details, Taylor led them out again.

"Rory, are you sure you didn't bite off more than you can handle?" Lorelai asked.

"Mom, I ran the Hartford D.A.R. where I threw events and took in money for multiple charities. I think I can handle keeping track of the Backpack Program, the Food Basket Program and if we start a back to work program, I can do it too. It'll be pretty basic accounting. Taylor and Patty are going to handle the local fundraising, along with talking to the businesses owners about jobs. I'll get accounts opened up, and start making phone calls. Put my D.A.R. contact list to use. Since we'll be using Taylor, who'll order the food and provide it at cost, all we need to do is delivery to two houses and to track what goes out of the market on Tuesdays. There might be eleven kids, but it's only five houses. I'm going to see if I can push a couple of Grandma's friends into helping with Shane's medical bills. Cancer is hard enough on a family, without worrying about your children starving. Plus with Jess back at the helm, my work load has been cut down," Rory replied.

"Be careful. You know if you involve Emily she'll want you back in the D.A.R. full time," Lorelai said.

"I know. I'm better at manipulating her now. If there's a price, it will be on my terms, something I can live with doing," Rory replied.

"What about a honeymoon? Aren't you guys going to go anywhere? You've been hanging around Stars Hollow," Luke asked, turning his attention to Jess who smirked.

"Matt and Chris gave us time off from work. We've been putting it to good use. We do plan on some traveling, but not till the end of summer," Jess said, watching Luke's embarrassment grow.

"Dirty!" Lorelai added. Luke rolled his eyes, before pulling her onto his lap.

"Let's go home, and I'll show you dirty," he said, eliciting laughs and catcalls from Rory and Jess.

_**A/N- The next chapter is Garret centered. So I thought I'd take the time to point out a couple of differences between my fictional character Garret and the real boy I was inspired by. I've turned Garret into an artist to create an instant connection between him and Jess. In reality, the boy is more sportsy. Or would be if he had the support system which would allow him to participate in anything after school. I've also taken mom out of the picture, because frankly, I wish mom was out of the picture. My state does not have habitual offender laws, and although commendable in their intent of keeping families together, DSS keeps giving him back to mom when she gets out of jail. Unfortunately, his grandma is as portrayed, and placement with her never goes well. Luckily, he does have a wonderful aunt who is trying to get permament custody of him. I hope it happens as, unlike many kids in his situation, he isn't angry, doesn't act out or spend all his time waiting to see the Principal in my office. And for another shameless plug- If there's a Backpack Program in your area, throw it a little support. Great program!**_


	5. Chapter 5: You're My Hero

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Five: You're My Hero

Garret tossed and turned, trying to sleep. Another month marked on the calendar, another month living with his grandma, another month without seeing his mom. His homeroom teacher, who was super nice, had given him a folder of work he'd done at his last school. That's when he'd found the letter. He'd written it in third grade, and he guessed the schools had passed it from one to another in his file. He wondered what they thought about it. Did they think he was stupid? They all knew, he was sure they knew. Did they think it was sad? Now he had the letter back. He'd read it so many times during the day, he had it memorized. He couldn't believe he'd been so young. Not age young, but stupid young. There was a better word for it. Started with a N. He couldn't remember it, but he remembered writing the letter. The day he wrote it started as a good day. She'd cooked breakfast, but by the next morning, he was off to a new foster care placement when she was busted trying to sell weed at the community college. Turning on a flashlight and pulling it out of his backpack, he read the letter again.

_My Hero_

_Dear mom,_

_I love when we do stuff. When we watch tv and you tell me it's gonna be ok. I believe you and I'm proud. It makes me happy that you are doing so good right now. I know you are right. It will all be okay. We will move into a nice house and I can get a dog. I love you and I know you love me. You are my hero because you take care of us._

_Love Garret_

The letters were blurry and it made him angry to think he was crying over her again. She had lied. Lied so many times to him. It wasn't okay. There wasn't a nicer house. The TV didn't even work. Watching it together had been in his imagination. Once, she'd been stoned and she acted like she was watching it. He played along for a while, but she got scary and he had to go hide under the bed until her paranoia went away. Under the bed. In the closet. Behind the boxes under the steps. He'd always been hiding. From her, from the guns, from the drug smoke, from the buyers, and especially from the connection. Always watching out for traps, for needles, for crazies. Crumpling the letter, he dropped it to the floor, and curling into a ball under his blanket, he admitted the truth. He loved her, and hated her at the same time. He was angry his grandma hated her for leaving home and getting pregnant. He was angry his grandma wouldn't take him to see her in jail. He missed her. Crying into his pillow, he fell asleep.

**A/N- Sorry about the short chapter. It's as much diving into his head as I could handle at this point. And yes. A letter very much like this one (although considerably longer and more heartbreaking) exists in the real boy's cumulative folder. Being passed from school to school and teacher to teacher.**


	6. Chapter 6: Getting to Know You

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Six: Getting to Know You

The following weekend Rory and Jess were wandering through the park, headed to their bridge, while avoiding the town square. Both the Backpack Program and the Food Basket program were up and running. Taylor met in the sauna with the town elders to get their okay on the Food Baskets, and an anonymous donation appeared to pay Shane's medical bills. Left on the sauna bench, Taylor was at a loss at who had a forty thousand dollar bank check in an envelope hidden under their towel. Not to mention knowing to bring it in the first place, and the amount of Shane's current bills. Rory had agreed to host a D.A.R. tea at her house once every three months, and Emily rounded up enough donations to both programs to keep them in funds for several years. The group had met to draw up guidelines and a recommendation process. It was a productive week, and Taylor had moved on to planning the Memorial Day Weekend Festival. Jess didn't want to be roped into helping. His goodwill toward the town events only extended so far, so they were hiding from Taylor who wanted to "integrate Jess further into the community." Jess was adamant about not being integrated into anything. Seeing Garret sitting in their spot, he smirked.

"Avoiding the town square?" Jess asked, as they walked over to sit on the bridge.

"Kirk asked if I'd be sitting in the gazebo in two weeks. When I said probably, he told me I needed to be measured for the Uncle Sam costume," Garret replied.

"Did you run? I would have run," Rory said, laughing. Garret gave her a shy smile.

"Yeah, I kinda did. It wasn't easy. He chased me. I lost him in Taylor's yard because he's scared of Snookums." Jess burst out laughing.

"I like Snookums. Can I look at your art?" Jess asked. Garret gave him a slow nod, handing him the sketch book, and Jess began leafing through the pages. Rory, leaned in to look over his shoulder.

"The Wandering Man. Huh," Jess said. "I like the name, but I'm not sure how I feel about being one of this insane asylum's characters." Rory laughed and took the sketch book out of Jess's hands.

"It was only a matter of time. Before you know it, you'll be playing Uncle Sam every year," Rory trailed off. Silent for a minute. "Is this how he looked? What you saw?" she asked Garret, her eyes wide. At his nod, she looked down, letting her hair fall forward to hide her face.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have drawn you without asking," Garret said to Jess, who smirked in response.

"Didn't know you were doing it. Rory? Are you okay?" Jess asked, keeping a close eye on her as she leafed through the sheets.

"I'm okay. It's almost too much. You look so hopeless, so sad in the sketches. Your emotions leap off the page. Seriously Garret, you do a great job with the eyes, and the body posture with only a few lines. Look," handing the pad over to Jess, Rory moved to sit down next to Garret. "Thank you, for letting me see what Jess was feeling." She drew her knees up to her chest and ducked her head. Jess didn't notice she was upset. He'd found the pictures of Rory.

Garret wasn't sure what to do. The Wandering Man was sitting in the middle of the bridge and didn't see the Princess hurting. Reaching one hand out, Garret touched Rory's knuckles. Turning her head his direction, she met his eyes. He was stunned by how deep and bright blue they looked when covered by tears.

"It's okay. He's not sad anymore," Garret said. Rory forced a smile; she knew she needed to get a grip. Looking at Jess, she was surprised to see him lost in the sketches.

"Jess?" Rory tried to get his attention.

"You call her The Princess. This picture, of her on the bridge, when was this? You should get in the habit of dating the back of your sketches," Jess said, forcing himself to keep his voice even. Garret stood to look at the picture.

"It's the first time I saw her. I'd heard about her, but I'd never seen her. Early February. Before you talked at the town meeting," Garret replied. Jess stared into Garret's eyes, but Garret knew he wasn't seeing him. Rory stood, taking the sketch pad out of Jess's hands and giving it to Garret.

"I'm sorry. I can't seem to tell you enough, I'm sorry," Jess said. Rory smiled and gave him a light kiss before turning to Garret.

"Can you draw my mom and Luke? In the diner? I've always wanted a picture of her sitting at the counter drinking coffee while he wipes it down, talking to her. I'd pay you, and pay for your meals while you're there," Rory said.

"I don't know, wouldn't they wonder why I'm there by myself? Drawing?" Garret asked.

"Nah, I'll go with you. You can draw, I'll write. Luke's used to it. Rory's right. It'd make a nice gift for them," Jess added.

"I can't go during the week because of school and stuff. What about next weekend?" Garret asked, and they made arrangements to meet.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rory asked, as they left Garret on the bridge and headed into town.

"Yeah, I used her, she knew it. It's not like we had a deep connection, but we did date for the summer, and well, there was some intimacy involved. Are you sure you want to do this?" Jess asked, holding Rory's hand tight.

"Well, it's been a long time since high school, and although I wouldn't call us friends, she's done my hair. She does mom's too, and when you get your hair done, there's generally some gossip and conversation."

"So, did I ever come up in your conversations?"

"On occasion, you may have been a topic which was discussed. Liz gets her hair done there too, so I may have used Shane as a source of information," Rory admitted, embarrassed.

"Huh," Jess said, knocking on the dilapidated house's door. They heard some scuffling, and a small child opened the door, peeking her head around the corner.

"Hi," she said, cheerful as she recognized Rory and opened the door wider. "Mommy, it's Lane's friend," she yelled somewhere behind her. A muffled voice spoke, and the little girl opened the door wider. "Mom says you can come inside."

"Thank you," Rory said, pulling a now reluctant Jess in with her. Shane was sitting in a recliner, and despite the heat, had a blanket across her lap. Rory was shocked by the changes in her appearance since the last time she saw her. Jess gripped her hand tighter, but a glance his direction showed he wasn't letting Shane see his dismay. Her once healthy blond hair was a dull washed out light brown. Her eyes were set deep in their sockets, the skin across her cheeks was pulled tight.

"Rory, Jess, good to see you," she said, her voice weak. "I'm glad you came, I wanted to thank you, and congratulate you on your marriage. It was about time. Patty told me about you helping us, with the food. Did you pay my bills too?"

"No, it wasn't us. I was going to try to find someone, but one of the town elders took care of them first. Any idea who they are? My mom doesn't even have a clue, and Luke refuses to talk about his time with them in the sauna," Rory said, with a smile as she sat down on the couch, pulling Jess down next to her.

"No, although I think one of them is the town hermit. The only time he's ever in town is when the elders meet. He comes into my shop. I own the beauty supply store now. Bought it with my ex-husbands settlement."

"Is he around to help with the kids?" Jess asked. Shane laughed and began coughing. A girl came out of the kitchen and handed her mom a Kleenex and a drink. After wiping her mouth and taking a sip, Shane pulled her six year old daughter close and hugged her.

"Thank you, Kat. Love you. Would you get them a drink for me?"

"I'm good, you want anything Ror?" Jess asked, not wanting to put them to any trouble.

"I'm good too, we stopped at Luke's earlier," Rory replied.

"Are you sure? Okay then. Little Kat, would you take Bianca to your room for a while. Keep her quiet till Veronica wakes? Thanks hun," Shane said, not wanting the girls to hear their conversation.

"Still a fan of 10 Things I Hate About You?" Jess asked with a smirk.

"You know it. Veronica is from Patrick Verona's name too. Couldn't bring myself to use the name Chastity. Besides, she was a bitch, and the town already has a Patty. The ex isn't involved. He has a new family in Utah. The settlement was a lump sum to cover the future child support. I thought the beauty shop was a good investment, and it was, till I got sick and couldn't work. Now the income barely pays the bills. I'd sell, but I don't have a buyer and I'm hoping to be able to go back to work someday," Shane said, before taking another drink of water.

"Is…is the prognosis good?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. They took out the lump, and with the chemo, they think it's good. My Grandma died of breast cancer, so I knew it could happen. I didn't even feel the lump, but I felt like something was wrong. I had them take the whole breast even though they didn't need to, just to be safe. Is this conversation freaking you out, Jess?" Shane asked, teasing Jess.

"A little. You're lucky you caught it so fast. Is there anything we can do to help you out?"

"Seriously?" Shane asked. "You've already made sure my kids have food to eat. You want to do more? Why? We might've screwed around in high school, but we weren't friends."

"Well, for one thing, you relayed what Liz said about Jess during her appointments. And despite how crazy and mean I was to you when you were dating Jess, you didn't turn my hair green," Rory said.

"You were so uncomfortable the first time you came in, I didn't have the heart to mess with you. It was obvious you wanted to know if I knew anything about Jess. I also told Liz about you, for Jess." It was Rory's turn to smirk at Jess.

"I appreciated it, by the way, thought my mom was getting the information from Luke, but always wondered, because he's never been too chatty. We could watch your kids for you if you need some time to yourself, or when you have appointments. Taylor said your car broke down, and you take the bus to Hartford for your treatments?" Jess asked.

"Yeah. I haven't had the money to fix it. My mom comes over to watch the kids when I take the bus," Shane said, smoothing out her blanket. She would like help, but she didn't want to ask. She could feel Jess's eyes boring into her. He always saw too much, and she was too simple. Too easy to read. Since he knew there was something anyway, she decided to bite the bullet. "Rides to my appointments would be nice. I'm so sick after, for days after, the bus isn't fun."

"We can do it. Let me know if there's anything else, okay?" Rory said, leaning over and taking Shane's hand in hers. Shane looked at her, gratefully.

"You're like Emma. Helping the sick and troubled," Shane said with a smile. Rory looked surprised. Jess laughed.

"Did you take my advice and read the book Clueless was based on?"

"Hell no, it was way too long. No. I watched the movie with Gwyneth Paltrow. It wasn't bad, and I liked the 'badly done' line," Shane said.

"We should make Jess watch the kids and you can come to one of my mom's movie nights. We've been talking about a Heath Ledger themed one for a while now," Rory said.

"I think I'd like to, your movie nights are legendary in the Hollow. I'd better get my nap in though, before Veronica wakes up," Shane said, and they could tell she was exhausted. After finding out the time for her next appointment, they said their goodbyes and headed out the door. Without discussing it, they turned away from home to Gypsy's to see if she knew what was needed to fix Shane's car. Jess glanced back at the house, taking in the broken porch railing, and the rickety swing set.

"Think Tom would do some repair work over here without charging?"

"Maybe not Tom, but there is another contractor in the area who might. You'd have to ask him though. I don't talk to him," Rory said, taking Jess's hand.

"Huh. Could be an interesting conversation. Think I'd get any words in before he tried to hit me?"

**A/N- a review mentioned thinking Garret could be Jess and Shane's, and although he'd be too old to be theirs, it made me wonder- what's Shane up to? So I changed a couple of things, and now we know. But in adding in Dean at the last second, (maybe Rory isn't Emma, maybe Jess is...) I now need to go back through my other stories to see if I gave Dean a future already. I don't think I mentioned him. If I did and you remember, let me know, because it will be next week before I have time to do a search through those docs, which will slow up the whole story. Thank you for the reviews! I know it's been a bit slow so far, things pick up in the next chapter, A Pear Shaped World.**


	7. Chapter 7: A Pear Shaped World

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

**A/N- fixed the mom as a ghost watching the kids issue in the last chapter. Shane's grandma passed from cancer leaving mom still alive to watch the kids. A much safer scenario... ;)**

Chapter Seven: A Pear Shaped World

Garret knew this was going to be bad. His grandma was drinking when he arrived home from school and hadn't stopped. It was shaping up to be the binge of all binges. Sneaking into the house after spending some time in the town square, he hid in his closet. He wanted to be there in case she needed him, but he didn't want to draw her attention. He was almost asleep when she began throwing stuff at her bedroom walls and screaming. When she started yelling for him, he knew he needed to escape. Waiting until he could hear the shatter of glass in the living room, he grabbed his backpack, a blanket and pillow and climbed out his window, running all the way to the gazebo. Prying a loose board off the top step, he snuck underneath and pulled the board in place behind him. He'd been under here before, it was a good place to hide from his life. Spreading his blanket out on the gravel, he lay down on his pillow and thanked God it was almost summer. And tomorrow was Saturday. He was supposed to meet Rory and Jess at the diner for breakfast. Hopefully, he could get a couple hours of sleep and sneak in when his grandma passed out.

Hearing the sound of sirens, Garret tensed. He could tell they were headed down his street. He figured his grandma's screaming caught the attention of the neighbors, and they probably called the police. Deciding to stay put and hoping he was wrong, he curled into a tighter ball. He didn't want to leave Stars Hollow. Didn't want to change schools again, didn't want to go back into foster care. If he was at the house when the police were there, they wouldn't be able to leave him home alone, and would take him in. He'd be dropped off at emergency care, and from there, who knows if he'd even get to come back to get his stuff. No. It was better to stay put. If asked, he'd pretend he spent the night at a friend's. Or he'd leave. He could slip out and run away. Where would he go though? Where would it be safe? Voices approaching the gazebo interrupted his planning, and he listened closer.

"Damn. I thought for sure he'd be here," Jess said, running his fingers through his hair. Frustrated. He and Rory had sprinted to Garret's house after receiving Taylor's call. They watched as the ambulance took away his grandmother, and with Taylor's help, checked the house for Garret. They knew he was hiding somewhere because his pillow and blanket were gone. Jess continued, "We don't have much time before DSS gets word about his grandma, especially if she dies." Rory wrapped her arms around Jess's waist.

"Do you think we can convince them to let us take him?" she asked, Jess froze before pulling her in tighter. He'd been thinking about it since meeting Garret. Despite his life, the boy somehow kept his innocence and Jess felt protective of him. He wanted to make a difference in Garret's life.

"I don't know. I'd like to give him a home, but I didn't know you felt the same way."

"I do. There's something about him. If they'd let us, I'd take him into our lives in a heartbeat. I wish he was ours. He deserves more than he's getting," Rory replied.

"Yeah. He deserves a chance," Jess added, watching Luke and Lorelai approach.

"He's not at the bridge, or in the park. We couldn't find him anywhere. We were talking on the way over, and were wondering how you'd feel about us offering to take him in?" Lorelai asked. Jess and Rory looked at each other and smiled.

"Huh. We were planning on seeing if we could," Jess replied taking Rory's hand.

"Really? The two of you are young enough to have your own children. With us the risks are so huge, the idea is scary. We've been talking about adopting since before our wedding. We'd like to give him a home. It seems like this has to be happening for a reason," Lorelai said. Jess narrowed his eyes, her innocence about the way the world worked never ceased to surprise him. Rory felt him tense and spoke.

"Even if we have children, it wouldn't change how we feel about Garret," Rory insisted. Luke jumped in before the Gilmore women began arguing.

"Well, at least we know there are options, and no matter what, he'd be in our family and that's what counts. It's a pity he doesn't know you two are fighting over him. Jess, you don't think he'll run do you?" Luke asked. Jess gave it some thought, and underneath their feet, Garret listened, stunned by what he'd heard.

"No. I think he's smart. He'd know at his age it would be dangerous to live on the streets, he'd stand out too much. In a couple years, he could get by without calling attention to himself, but not now."

"Okay, Kirk is keeping an eye on his grandma's house in case he goes back there. Taylor initiated the phone tree, so if he turns up anywhere, we'll know. We're going to do another sweep around town, and let's plan on meeting at the diner for breakfast. We can find out what we need to do to give him a home. A permanent home. I'll call Richard, see if he knows a good custody lawyer," Luke said, as he and Lorelai left the newlyweds at the gazebo.

"Do you think he's going to be okay? I'm scared, Jess." Hugging Rory, Jess replied.

"Shhh, it's okay. It'll be alright, I promise. Don't cry. I hate to see you cry. I think Garret will be okay. It's warm tonight. We know he has a blanket and a pillow. He's holed up somewhere. I only wish he knew he could come to us. Knock on the door of our house, we'd take him in. We have plenty of room, and it's not like we'll be asleep. We both know we'll stay up worrying about him. What do you think about Luke and Lorelai's offer?" Jess asked, holding her face with a gentle touch, while using his thumbs to wipe the tears from under her eyes. His brown eyes, intense and glittering with the street lights, focused on hers as he pulled her closer and began caressing her back in soothing circles.

"Mom's always wanted more children. I know she wants a family with Luke. She's right though. At her age, there's a risk of birth defects, plus, her chances of miscarriage are greater. She told me she's scared to try. She could handle a child with disabilities, but it would be too heartbreaking for her to lose one."

"I can understand, but I know they both want a family. Though, until Doula, I never would have thought Luke and babies would mix. The whole jam hands thing. Let's go home to wait. He'll be okay. I promise," Jess said, gesturing with a nod at the steps. Rory looked closer, and gave a half smile. The top step wasn't straight, it'd been moved. She knew kids could get under there, since she and Lane had hidden there from Mrs. Kim more than once. It's what gave Lane the idea to hide stuff in her floor boards.

"Please, please let Garret know to knock on our door tonight," she said, looking at the cloudy night sky. They couldn't know for sure he was under the gazebo, but they were hoping. Rory toyed with the idea of talking directly to Garret. Of getting a flashlight and moving the board. Forcing him to come with them. Jess shook his head. He knew where her thoughts were leading, and although he was tempted to sit on the bench all night, he also knew it would be better for Garret to come to them on his own. If Garret was anything like him at all, he'd hate the idea of being caught eavesdropping. No, if he was under there, it'd be better not to corner him. Forcing Rory to turn, he led her home with his arm wrapped around her waist, relying on her strength as much as his own to be able to walk away. Jess wanted to bury his face in her neck and breath in the essence of what made her his rock. Draw on her unique "Rory-ness" to get through the rest of the night.

Underneath the gazebo, Garret thought about what he'd heard as their steps faded away. No one but his teachers ever worried before, as part of their job they worried about all their students. The social workers sort of did, but he knew it was the job too. Sometimes it was obvious they'd forgotten even before they were out the door. They were thinking about writing their report, or the next kid on their roster. You were a folder. A check list. Just one more kid they saw in the school on Tuesdays after lunch. Mom was too strung out to worry. She worried about herself, her cut, her next fix. Now she probably worried about getting beaten up in jail. His grandma only worried about having money for the next drink, or the newest unicorn. Here he was, in this insane town full of festivals and the weirdest people he'd ever seen, and they cared. He didn't understand. The Crazy Coffee Lady, Gruff Diner Guy, Wandering Man, and the Princess cared. Cared enough to almost argue about who he should live with. It didn't make sense. Was Taylor going to offer to take him in next? It couldn't possibly get stranger here. But it could get wetter, apparently the gazebo wasn't built on totally level ground. There was water running underneath, right where he placed his blanket. He was sleeping in the middle of a brook. The sudden downpour had Garret gathering his stuff and leaving his hiding place. Standing in the town square, he debated for a second before heading for Jess and Rory's house. Sneaking around to the back, he tapped lightly on the kitchen door, leaving his blanket and pillow on the deck. The lights were on so he knew they were awake.

Jess opened the door wide and gestured him inside. Garret's eyes were huge as he looked around. The line of his body was tense. Jess half expected him to bolt as he shut the kitchen door. Rory appeared with a towel, catching Garret's attention.

"Hey, let's get you dried off. Jess, grab a pair of sweats and a t-shirt for Garret to sleep in. Garret, come with me. I'll show you the guest room. It has a bathroom, so you can get cleaned up," Rory kept on with a steady stream of chatter as she led Garret up the steps to the room. Jess put the clothes on the bed for him.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink? Lorelai gave us this coffee pot for the room. It'll do water for tea or hot chocolate if you want, just press the button. They're in the drawer here," Jess said. "Along with a supply of pop-tarts. I worry about Lorelai. Stocking a room she only naps in on occasion with pop-tarts is weird," he added, smirking at Rory who wandered over to look in the drawer.

"Oh! Brown sugar, my favorite," she said. "So Garret, if you put your wet stuff outside the door, I'll get them dry for you. And if you need anything, we're across the hall. Although Jess will probably stay up and read for a couple more hours in the library. The plan in the morning is to meet at Luke's for breakfast, but I think we'll have him come here and cook for us instead," Rory said, wanting to hug the boy, but not wanting to scare him. He looked lost, and unsure. She couldn't blame him. She only had the slightest idea of what his life was like and it made her feel lost. "Take a long, hot shower and get warmed up before going to bed. Feel free to sleep in, I won't be up before eight. And Garret, I'm glad you're here." Jess gave Garret a smirk as Rory went across the hall to their room. She closed the door and leaned against it, fighting tears. Not knowing if they were happy tears because he was safe and here, or if they were sad tears because he'd been through so much already. Choking back her sobs, she listened at the door to Jess say goodnight.

"The Gilmore line talks a mile a minute. Eventually, your head quits spinning and you get used to it. I kept waiting for her to bear hug you. Thought I'd have to pry her away. We're both happy you came here tonight. Warm up and sleep," Jess said, giving Garret a nod and closing his door behind him.

Garret stood in the middle of the room, shivering. Looking around, he wondered who'd decorated it. It wasn't like what he'd seen downstairs, didn't seem to fit their tastes. Although the wall color, a pale yellow, was normal enough, the clock was rooster shaped, the lamp was monkey covered, and there were bright fuzzy pillows everywhere. Mostly in hot pink. There were also giant dog statues in two corners of the room. One of which was wearing flower leis and a tiara, the other had on a fishing hat and a bow tie. Noticing he was dripping on the carpet, he grabbed the clothes off the bed and headed in for a shower.


	8. Chapter 8: Truth

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

**A/N- A short chapter, so I thought I'd get it posted quicker for you. The next chapter is longer. The whole story is written (I think) and is 17 chapters. Just need to edit them. Don't want another ghost as babysitter issue! Reviews are appreciated... and a thank you to those following this story!**

Chapter Eight: Truth

He couldn't fall asleep, his brain was whirling. Standing up, he paced around the room before peeking out the door. Sneaking down the steps, he followed the light to the library. Jess was sitting on the couch reading with Rory using his lap as a pillow. She was asleep, her book fallen to the floor. Garret was backing away when Jess spoke.

"She won't wake, come on in. Couldn't sleep?" Jess said, putting his book aside and smoothing Rory's hair away from her face with one hand. Garret sat down and toyed with the hem of the shirt Jess lent him.

"What happened to my grandma? Is she going to be okay?" Jess knew the question would be coming, and waited for Garret to meet his eyes.

"I'm not going to lie to you, or sugar coat. That's not who I am. The neighbors called the police because of the screaming, but when the police arrived it was quiet. They were checking around the house, when one saw her lying on the kitchen floor. They went in, and realized she wasn't passed out. They called for an ambulance and had her taken to the hospital in Hartford. They think she had a heart attack. So the answer is- I don't know if she'll be okay. We'll find out more tomorrow." Garret dropped his head into his hands, and Jess could see his body shake. He barely heard Garret's whisper.

"What's going to happen with me? I don't want to leave Stars Hollow. It's better here."

"Well, if you were under the gazebo, you heard all of us talking about giving you a home. We'll discuss it more at breakfast, but we want to help you. Realistically, I don't know if the courts would allow Rory and me to take you in. I have a … past. They might think I'm a bad bet. But Luke and Lorelai, they have great parenting track records. You couldn't ask for a better father figure than Luke, and Lorelai? Yeah, she's crazy, but she's an incredible parent. No matter what though, you'll be in our lives," Jess said. Rory brushed the tears from her eyes and moved to hug Garret, taking both him and Jess by surprise. When she rolled off his lap, Jess thought she was falling and tried to grab her, but she was too quick.

"We're going to fight to keep you in Stars Hollow, and even in the worst case scenario, if they take you away, we will not leave you. No matter what, you're going to be in our lives in some way, shape or form. We will make it happen." Garret relaxed into her hug, and let his eyes fall closed. He'd never had this before. Pulling away, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Thanks. It… Thanks," he stammered. Standing, he nodded to the couple and made his way upstairs to bed. No matter what happened. He'd have the Princess's hug and the Wandering Man's words to remember. Always.


	9. Chapter 9: A Table Setting

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Nine: A Table Setting

The smell of bacon woke Garret the next morning and lured him to the kitchen. He hovered at the door watching Luke cook. There were pans on every burner, and nothing was burning. Watching Luke stir the scrambled eggs, butter the toast and turn the bacon, Garret thought maybe he'd died and gone to heaven. Besides the great smelling food, the kitchen was calm. There was no screaming, no smoking, no strangers glaring at him because he existed. No dirt, no grease, no pile of stinking dishes and garbage. No chaos, no fuss. Luke cooked with a minimum of movement which impressed Garret. Every action was controlled and precise. A flick and a pancake was flipping in the air to land neatly in the pan. Garret was stunned to realize, Luke was an artist too.

"Come on in. Jess ran to check on a few things. How many pancakes do you want?" Luke asked the hesitant boy who was watching him flip the cakes.

"Two?" Garret said, unsure of what would be okay to ask for.

"That's it? Really? I'll make you a few more, and if you don't eat them, Lorelai will. Rory and Lorelai are food vacuums. Want to set the table? We'll eat in the dining room. There will be a few more people joining us," Luke said as he gestured to the stack of dishes and silverware on the counter. Garret liked the fact Luke assumed he'd help, and didn't treat him like he was three. Taking the supplies into the beautiful dining room, Garret walked around the table as he laid out items. He wasn't sure what went where so he tried to make it look nice, in a way which made sense, hoping it was good enough. He thought about asking Luke as he began bringing in the food and adding it to warmers, but seeing Garret was finished, Luke gave him a nod and a smile. It was enough.

"Rory and Lorelai are in the library, will you let them know food's on? Try not to get trampled as they run in here," Luke said, only half joking as he noticed Jess gesturing to get his attention in the kitchen.

"What did you learn? Any news?" Luke asked, pulling the cinnamon rolls out of the oven.

"Good and bad. The good is Richard was able to convince one of his lawyer friends to join us for breakfast, they'll be here soon. The bad is- Garret's grandma didn't make it. I need to tell Garret. It will come up when the lawyer gets here, and I don't want him taken by surprise," Jess said. Luke nodded.

"Are you sure he should be at the meeting? He's young."

"When you're in his situation, you have no control of what's going on in your own life. You pull away from yourself and everything around you. Detach, and then you quit living and just exist. Hopeless, waiting for life to begin at eighteen. I don't want him to feel like I did. It's amazing he hasn't done it already. I want him to be part of his own life," Jess replied. He didn't know if Luke understood. Hell, he didn't know if he even explained it right. Lorelai understood.

"Even if he can't make the decisions, you want him to know how they are made and why the events unfold the way they do. You want him to feel as if he's part of the process. Not a puppet being pulled from one place to another," she said from the door. Jess met her eyes and realized the truth. Lorelai would be a great parent to Garret. Despite what he'd said the night before, he hadn't been sure. She was a lot like him, but she had a bit of Emily in her too. Now he was sure. She got it, she understood.

"Luke, put your spatula down, let's get Rory and Garret and we'll tell him about his grandma together," Jess said, leading the way into the dining room. Rory stood; she could tell the news was bad. Garret glanced at the adults with their identical serious expressions and dropped his head. Luke pulled Garret's chair back away from the table, and stood behind him with a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. Jess sat down facing him, and Lorelai and Rory flanked him. Garret looked at Jess.

"No sugar coating, right?" he said, voice soft. Serious brown eyes looked into eyes turned murky grey with fear. Jess felt dammed poetic as the pictured the stormy ocean in Garret's eyes. What was it about this boy? Gathering himself, he spoke.

"Right, no sugar coating. Your Grandma Betty didn't make it. She had another heart attack in the hospital." Lorelai knelt next to Garret and looked into his wide eyes.

"Now, I don't know if you were close to her. How long you've known her, or if you loved or hated her. But it doesn't matter. No matter what you feel right now, there is nothing wrong with it. You can be happy she's gone, and we wouldn't think less of you. You can be devastated because you're so sad, and same thing. Or anything in between. You can even feel nothing. No matter what your feelings… They're right for you," Lorelai said. She placed one hand on his cheek, as his lower lip began to tremble. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around him lightly. Letting him get used to her hug. She could feel his tears soaking through her shirt onto her shoulder¸ although he wasn't making a sound.

"Your feelings may change over and over again. It's normal. It's part of being human. We're here for you, Garret. All of us," Rory said as Garret pulled away from Lorelai and wiped his face with his hands.

"Can we eat?" he asked, wanting to have time to think about everything. To "process" it the way everyone said Rory always did. He figured if there was a time for processing, this would be it. He looked at Rory, knowing she'd understand. Giving his hand a squeeze she nodded. Lorelai met Luke's worried eyes and winked. She'd seen Rory do the same thing time and again.

"Good plan. My stomach is already protesting the idea of waiting longer and there's nothing worse than rubbery pancakes," Lorelai said.

"Uh, yeah there is! Decaf coffee!" Rory added, "and possibly rubbery bacon, although bacon is seldom bad. Did you see the bacon jerky in the store? I almost bought some." A knock on the door sidetracked Rory's ramblings, and Jess went to answer it, as the rest of the group took their places around the table.


	10. Chapter 10: Arrangements

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Ten: Arrangements

Emily came bustling in first, looking around expectantly before tossing her purse onto a side table and entering the dining room.

"Rory, I apologize for our tardiness. Your grandfather managed to stop at every single light between here and Hartford. I could have sworn we gave you a coat tree for your wedding. Who set this table?" she said, stopping to look around.

"Garret set the table, Emily. He did a great job. It looks good and we can find what we need," Luke said in a no-nonsense voice. He'd be dammed if she put the boy down in any way. Giving Luke a glare, Emily turned to Garret.

"Have you ever set a table before Garret?" she asked.

"No ma'am. Is it all wrong? I tried to make it symmetrical," he said, not wanting to admit he tried to make it pretty. He was thrown by the new woman. The room swelled with tension and it made him nervous. He bit his lower lip as he tilted his head to look at her.

"On the contrary. Although unorthodox, it looks wonderful. Rory and Lorelai, despite my best attempts, never mastered the art of a beautiful table setting, They have a tendency to toss the silverware along the sides. It's refreshing to see some care involved in the process. Jess tells me you're an artist?"

"I hope to be one, someday," he said, looking down at his plate. Scared for his future.

"Then you will. Richard, come in please. Stop loitering in the hall looking for the coat tree, it isn't there. I can only assume it has been relocated to the basement," Emily said.

"Mom, you hated the coat tree, you gave it to me more than once. If Rory has hidden it in the basement, then I personally think it's in the best spot. I can't believe you're still re-gifting the hideous stuff grandma gave you. The dogs are upstairs by the way, in the guest room," Lorelai said, smirking at Jess. She knew he despised the dog statues, especially since they were now dressed dog statues. He'd picked out a nice spot in the backyard for them, guarding the trash cans in the alley. Richard skillfully headed off the fight.

"Emily, I saw the coat tree by the back door the last time I was here. Now, I believe introductions are in order. Benjamin, this is my daughter Lorelai, her husband Luke, her daughter Rory and her husband Jess. The young man is Garret. Benjamin is a top Connecticut family lawyer, who volunteers his time at the Hartford Women's Shelter helping them navigate the custody issues they encounter. Do sit down. Luke is an excellent chef," Richard said.

"It's nice to meet you. May I speak freely, or would you like to wait?" Benjamin asked, helping himself to the bacon being passed around. He didn't normally conduct business this early on a Saturday morning. However, Richard helped fund him when he hung out his own shingle, and after explaining the case to him, Benjamin couldn't say no.

"Garret should be a part of any discussion concerning his future," Luke said. "He may be eleven, but he's mature."

"Very good. Well Garret, it's my understanding you are a ward of the state of Connecticut. Is this correct?" Benjamin asked. Garret had been listening, the newcomers spoke in a different pattern. Stiffer. Everyone was more subdued despite the wedding gift talk.

"Yeah, but I don't know what it means," he said.

"It means your mother no longer has any rights as your parent. Her problems were too large, and she didn't complete what she needed to do to keep you. You will never live with her again. It's harsh to hear, but she has been deemed unfit. The state of Connecticut is your legal guardian. With your grandmother gone, they will now look for another permanent solution. You can be placed with foster families who are likely to adopt, or put in one of two group homes and placed up for adoption. However, it is in your best interest to stay in a stable environment, same school etcetera. So a petition of emergency care and adoption here in Stars Hollow, will be considered. It makes their job easier, and it moves you less. Now, there seems to be some confusion about which couple is looking to adopt Garret," Benjamin said, glancing from couple to couple. Rory and Lorelai spoke at the same time.

"We want to," they said. Garret looked down, embarrassed.

"Rory, you know my reasons. You and Jess have time, Luke and I don't. I know you both care. So do we. We," Lorelai spoke, her hands clenched in her lap, pleading. Luke took her hands in his trying to soothe her. Richard interrupted.

"May I offer an opinion?" At everyone's nods, he continued. "Luke, I gave this considerable thought last night after your emergency call. Rory, Jess, you're not too young, but you're only now starting your lives together. You should have the time to travel and to enjoy each other before starting a family," he paused, gathering his thoughts. Rory began to speak, so he held up a hand to hold her off. The relationship he'd developed with his family over the last several years, was too important to him to speak carelessly. "I hate to say this, but you both have pasts which we would all prefer not being dredged up again. I would hate to see the petition denied, and Garret sent elsewhere, if you apply. I believe Luke and Lorelai are the safer option for Garret. They're older, and have owned their businesses longer. They have been established in this town for a very long time, whereas the two of you have only recently returned."

"He's correct," Benjamin said. "I did a quick internet search on you last night after Richard called me. Your wedding pictures contained a high profile criminal. And although it was dropped from your actual record, once you filter out the newspaper links, there are a couple of pictures and a blog about Huntzberger and his girlfriend, Rory Gilmore, stealing a yacht together. It could be considered youthful indiscretion, but Lorelai and Luke are the safer alternative. With the two of you, the petition could be won, but there is a risk." Rory took Jess's hand, squeezing it tight. Looking into each other's eyes, Jess nodded and brought her hand to his lips, placing a small kiss on her knuckles. He wanted what was best for Garret, and wasn't surprised his past was fucking things up again. He only hoped Rory didn't hate him for it later.

"We want to do what's best for Garret, and if mom and Luke have a better shot at making it happen, then they're the ones. I would rather not take the chance of losing him. Besides, this way Garret, you'll be our little brother, and I've always wanted a little brother," Rory said. There was time later to process Benjamin's words, and worry about her past being thrown in Jess's face again.

"Garret and I spoke last night about my past, and I stand by what I said about Luke and Lorelai. But Garret, is this going to be okay with you?" Jess asked.

Garret was quiet, fiddling with his fork. He was more comfortable with Jess and Rory. Although, he never thought she'd turn out to be a thief. There had to be more to the story. He knew about Jess though, everyone in town did. It didn't matter. It didn't change how he thought about Jess. He wished it could be them. He'd been watching them for so long, it felt like he knew them better. And Jess was, well, Jess understood. But Jess said it himself last night, because of his past, it might not work. So if he wanted to stay here, he'd have to take a chance, and from what he'd seen, Lorelai and Luke were good people. They'd give him a place to stay and he'd be in Jess and Rory's lives too. Mostly, he knew he didn't want to go back into foster care. Or a group home. He didn't want to leave Stars Hollow. He thought about how he felt watching Luke in the kitchen before breakfast.

"Would you teach me to cook?" he asked Luke, who swallowed hard.

"Yeah. I fish too. Do you like fishing and camping?" he asked. Garret tilted his head, trying to picture it.

"I've never done it. I like being outside, drawing people. I don't know. I'd have to try it. It always sounded fun when other kids talked about doing it. I know I want to learn to cook."

"What? You mean you don't want to learn the fine art of inn keeping? How to create a beautiful wedding reception using the most hideous colors known to man? What about movies? Do you like movies?" Lorelai asked, grinning while leaning forward on her hands, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah, I like movies- and horses," Garret replied, giving her his shy smile.

"When we're finished eating let's adjourn to the library Richard has told me so much about, and take care of some particulars," Benjamin said.

After gathering information, and filling in the blanks on his laptop, Benjamin decided it was time to make the phone call. Glancing around the room, he thought about the children he'd seen over the years. Children who were shuffled from one family member to another. Relatives who were, most of the time, no more equipped to raise a child than the last. Sometimes the system did work. He fought hard for mothers and fathers who had straightened themselves out, were still straight. Living better lives with their families. In other cases, it didn't work. How many times had Garret been taken out of his home while his mother was in jail? How many times was he shuffled from place to place before being given to his grandmother? Before his mother lost all rights? And now his life was going to change again. He wondered if Garret knew he'd won the lottery. As he watched Garret study the art Jess and Rory had hung on their walls, he thought maybe Garret did know. Although he was in awe of his surroundings, he handled himself with a seriousness which hid his true age. Benjamin was glad Richard had called him. It was good to see a well deserved happy ending. For all parties.

Calling his contact at the Department of Social Services, who happened to be the person in charge at the Hartford regional office, he filled her in on what had happened to Garret's grandmother, and why he was involved. The relationship he'd built, over the years, with her and her office smoothed the process. She knew and trusted him to be on the child's side. After looking over the e-mailed paperwork, she agreed to the emergency placement, at least for the next three weeks until school was out for the summer. After an evaluation, the placement could be extended. She thought, provided the background check didn't turn up any surprises, the adoption could go through in a timely manner.

"They'll start their investigation. Interview your friends and relatives. Do a home study; look at your living conditions and financial status. There is a class you'll need to take, and I would get a room organized for Garret as soon as possible. They won't wait long to visit," Benjamin said as he gathered the paperwork. "I'll file these on Monday morning. You can pick Garret's stuff up from his grandma's today. I'll make myself available if you need help with her estate. See if you can find anything about a will." After thanking Benjamin, and seeing him and the Gilmores out the door, the rest gathered in the library.

"We have a lot to do, in a short amount of time," Lorelai said.

"We need to gather Garret's stuff, clean out the Rory/April room and turn it into the Garret room," Rory added.

"It needs to be painted too," Lorelai said.

"Jess, Luke, you should clean out the room while the three of us pick paint," Rory said.

"Then while they paint, we can take Garret to the house to pack his stuff," Lorelai added.

"Luke and Jess can haul the boxes while we take Garret shopping to get bedding and necessities!" Rory replied. Luke and Jess shook their heads, while Garret looked on in amazement. His neck was beginning to hurt from trying to focus on the rapid back and forth planning.

"Don't think we haven't noticed the division of labor. Luke and I get to clean out the room, paint it, haul stuff and I'm assuming put the big stuff back into the room. While the three of you shop?" Jess smirked.

"Of course. If you're nice, we might let you unpack Garret's stuff too while we watch movies tonight. Should we get a move on it, before we need to break for lunch?" Rory asked with a smile.

"I can help paint," Garret said, his voice unsure. He could tell they were giving each other a hard time, but didn't want to be a slacker.

"Nah, one- it's a small room, I'm not sure if the two of us will be able to paint at the same time and two- you need to gather whatever you want from your grandmother's, and be with them to pick out your own bedding," Jess said.

"Otherwise, it will end up looking like the guest room upstairs," Luke added with a smirk.

"I would never decorate Garret's room like that! I like Garret," Lorelai said, laughing at Jess's expression. Garret smiled as the accusations and banter flew around him.

"So you admit it then? Your fiendish plan to drive me insane in my own home? I thought we were past this, I thought you accepted me as your son-in-law?" Jess said, mock scowl included.

"Well, you know I was holding out for Rory to marry Prince William," Lorelai replied.

"Mom, he's already married! Remember our 'wallow like a royal' movie night? You have to accept Jess into the family. We made a pact," Rory replied.

"Pact? What pact?" Jess asked, worried now. Luke nudged Garret.

"Watch this. It's going to be good," he said. Jess's mock scowl turned to narrowed eyes as the Gilmore girls fidgeted under his scrutiny.

"Well, you see…" Lorelai started.

"It isn't a huge deal," Rory continued.

"Yes, yes it is," Luke jumped in with a snicker.

"One of you had better begin talking now," Jess said, crossing his arms in front of him, imitating Luke's battle stance. Rory's eyes grew huge, and she began to pout. Jess shook his head no. "Not going to work. Talk." Rory looked at her feet.

"Besides giving her primary decorating rights to the guest room and the children's rooms. I gave my mom all naming rights for any children we have," she whispered. Jess's eyes flew to Lorelai's evil grin, and then to Luke's nodding head, before finding Rory again. He waited till she had the guts to look up at him.

"No. She is not going to be decorating the children's rooms," he replied taking everyone by surprise. One battle at a time, he thought. One battle at a time. "I won't have my children's rooms decorated by an insane person. They'd have nightmares."

"The dogs are kinda creepy," Garret said, enjoying everyone's looks of shock. Jess ruffled Garret's hair.

"Let's go," Jess said, and Garret and Luke followed with Luke snickering. Rory and Lorelai exchanged looks.

"He took it better than I thought he would," Rory said.

"He's up to something," Lorelai replied, as Jess glanced over his shoulder at them and smirked.

**A/N- A reviewer commented I was making them and their reactions too perfect. You're right I was (am), plus this story is mostly fluff with little conflict which bothers me. I admit it, and the reviewer is spot on. I've been having a hard time disassociating myself from the life I'd like the real boy to be living, and the fictional characters. It's been difficult to cause him any pain. I want his life to be all fluffy white clouds and rainbows instead of stormclouds and hail. I'm looking ahead to see if I can "rough" them up a bit... can't promise it though. Can't promise it at all.**


	11. Chapter 11: Apple Cider's Better

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Eleven: Apple Cider's Better

"It's fun picking paint with someone who actually knows what colors work together," Rory said, as the trio left the paint store, loaded down with supplies for Luke and Jess.

"I know! The salesman didn't cry once, and even approved of the soft grey Garret picked for the walls. We'll drop this off at home, and grab some boxes," Lorelai said. "Unless you're hungry? Are you hungry?" she asked Garret. He wasn't sure if she was serious or not. They'd only eaten breakfast two hours ago, and he didn't think he'd ever eaten so much at one time before.

"Um, no?" he said, watching Lorelai and Rory's faces fall. "But I'm thirsty, I guess," he added. Both women jumped at the idea, and after dropping off the supplies, headed to Luke's for coffee and a little something to tide them over to lunch. While painting together, Jess took the opportunity to talk to Luke.

"You're sure, right? 'Cause if you're not, then let Rory and I do this instead. We'll fight whatever battles we need to so Garret has a home," Jess said, putting the finishing touches on the white ceiling. Luke glanced over, and went back to edging the room in the grey.

"I'm sure. I wasn't when Lorelai brought up the idea of adoption before our wedding. I wanted to have a child with her. Seeing her pregnant with my child was always a dream of mine, and I had to give it up. We wasted too much time, and it was my fault. All my fault. If I would have asked her to marry me three years ago, or better yet, not been an idiot about Anna and April, I could have had the family I wanted. So the more I thought about adoption, the better it sounded. I can't imagine dealing with a pregnant Gilmore's food cravings. You should've seen Jackson with Sookie, and she's a normal eater. Plus, it's what Lorelai wants. She's scared. So many things can go wrong, and I don't know if we'd survive losing a baby. It would break her heart, which would break mine. That's the main reason," Luke said. Jess nodded.

"Losing a baby would break your heart too, you know. You may act like you don't like babies, but I remember you with Doula. Why adoption?"

"In the end, it's family. It boiled down to wanting a family with Lorelai. You, Rory and April are great, but we want to build something together, at the same time. We picked up information on adoption and foster care last month. We already know about the classes Benjamin mentioned, we're signed up for them. Then this came up, and it feels right. For both of us, and for Garret. Paul Anka even seems to approve," Luke added with a gesture at the dog in the doorway. He had a pack of pencils in his mouth and a coffee cup at his feet. Jess and Luke stared at the strange canine. Jess smirked. It was Paul Anka's version of "Help! Timmy's in the well."

"The dog's right. They're going to give Garret coffee," Jess said. Luke put down his paint brush.

"I think the ceiling needs to dry a bit before we do the walls. Come on, let's get there before they corrupt my new kid," he said, bolting out the door to the diner.

"You know Luke would say no to this idea," Rory said, as she stirred coffee into a mug of warm milk and sugar. Lorelai laughed.

"Which is why we're doing it now, before he finds out," she replied. Garret wasn't sure. Their coffee smelt bitter. He didn't think milk and sugar was going to make a difference. He looked down into the mug as the colors blended and raised it to his lips, taking a small sip. The women looked at him, waiting for him to realize it was nectar of the gods and gulp it down. He took another sip, and set the cup down, glancing around the diner. Everyone was waiting for his response, including Jess and Luke who were now standing in the doorway. Luke looked worried, as he adjusted his hat and crossed his arms across his chest. Garret shrugged his shoulders.

"It's okay, I guess. I like apple cider better." Jess and Luke began clapping, while Lorelai and Rory made exaggerated sad faces.

"Tea's good too," Jess said with a smirk at Rory. Luke brought Garret a piece of apple pie.

"Here, you might want something to wipe the taste out," he said with a frown at Lorelai.

"We're going to have to set some rules. You can't be corrupting him. I won't have my son living on junk food and coffee," Luke said with a glare at the two women. Rory teared up, and reaching across the table, took her mother's hand.

"Did you hear it? He claimed Garret," she said, causing both women to burst into tears, and stand to hug each other. Jess took control.

"Jeeze. Hold it together people. Don't you have some packing to do? Finish your pie, Garret. You're going to have to take charge when you're done. Remind them to leave the diner. Otherwise, you'll be here all day." Garret grinned at Jess.

"I can do it. I was getting worried we'd be here forever if I didn't agree to take a sip. You don't think I made Luke mad do you?" he asked with a worried look Luke's direction. Luke was still laying down eating and snacking rules with Lorelai, while Rory looked on snickering at her mom's easy consent. Luke answered him.

"No, Garret. I know exactly where the blame lies. Gilmore girls can be very persuasive. We'll talk about their tricks later." Rory and Lorelai gave Luke appalled glances which morphed into pouts. Luke narrowed his eyes. "Don't you have more errands to run? Since you are now done with your pie? Your last pie of the week if you aren't careful."

"Maybe we should get going, mom," Rory said, grabbing Garret's hand and tugging on Lorelai's sleeve. "I don't want to risk losing pie for dinner!" she mock whispered. Jess laughed and pushed them out the door. His laughter faded as he watched them walk away and a worried expression took its place.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked, joining Jess outside.

"Garret's going back into his grandma's house, and we don't know what he went through there. What did she do to make him run away? Or before?"

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

"I don't know. He might have trouble coping, and Rory and Lorelai might push. Then again, Rory reads me, she always could, and she's learned not to force me to talk. She knows I'll disclose on my own. She'll know not to push him too," Jess replied.

"And Lorelai will take her cues from Rory since the two of you know him better. She regrets it, you know," Luke said. Jess didn't know what he was referring to, but Luke wasn't done talking. "She regrets the way she treated you. She knew you were wounded, it was in your eyes, but she didn't take it into account. Just thought you should know. She'll be different with Garret."

"I think the meet and greet was too soon after my arrival. I was too angry. I put on a tough guy mask and didn't know how to take it off. I was a punk. Garret might have the anger, but he doesn't show it. He's adapted to the town too. He fits here," Jess said as he and Luke walked back to the house.

"You fit here too. Really, you always did. Crazy kid, reading on benches instead of playing ball. You were as much an odd-ball as Kirk. You didn't want to admit it," Luke said.

"Huh."

"You've been one of the town's crazy characters since the beginning," Luke added. Jess smirked.

"If I am, so are you."


	12. Chapter 12: Break's Over

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Twelve: Break's Over

Walking into Garret's Grandmother's house was an exercise in self control for Lorelai. Hanging back to let Garret lead the way into his bedroom, Lorelai leaned against the living room wall and looked around. It had been dark last night, so she hadn't noticed. But today the sun was shining in through the dirty windows, illuminating the filth. And the garbage, there was garbage everywhere. Bottles, plastic cups, paper plates all piled on, and fallen under, the tables next to the couch. Plus the whole place was trashed. Betty had obviously gone on a rampage, knocking over shelves of cheap nick-knacks, mostly unicorns. Clamping her hand over her mouth, Lorelai held in nervous laughter at the sight of the smashed unicorns as Rory called for her. Now she knew why the stores stocked them.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Just wondering where she might keep her important documents. Benjamin suggested looking for a will," Lorelai said, putting on a smile and moving into Garret's room. Stopping in the door, she glanced around. The room was organized and clean. Dusted even. Benjamin was boxing up his art supplies and drawings, while Rory worked at the book shelves. "I'll take the closet. Pass me a box." Garret handed her a box, and keeping his eyes focused out his window, spoke.

"There's some of my mom's clothes in there too, can we bring them?" Lorelai put her hand on his arm, and he met her eyes.

"Of course. It's our house now, Garret. Whatever you want to bring we will find a place for, because it's your home too, you're part of the 'our' now. I don't know how you felt about Luke calling you his son, but I want you to know… I know you already have a mother. I will never try to take her spot in your heart. But I hope your heart is big enough for me too. As we get to know each other, think about things. How you want us to introduce you. I'd be proud to call you my son, just like Luke, but if you don't want us to, we will understand. You're part of our family now. And oh look! Your mom has great tastes in clothes, this is so cute!" Lorelai said, holding up a sequined jean jacket and trying to lighten the mood.

Garret was tense, his thoughts were ricocheting around his brain. He'd been embarrassed to walk in the door with them. At least his room was clean, but now Lorelai was touching his mom's stuff. He was glad she was packing it, but it pissed him off she was touching them. Her liking them made him angry. Which was stupid, he should be glad she likes something of his moms. Plus he was pissed at himself because he wanted to keep the clothes. Because he had snuck them in his stuff in the first place. He didn't like feeling so all over the place.

"If you don't get back to work, we may have to switch spots," Rory said to Lorelai, catching his attention. Anger was so useless, he couldn't change what he felt, but he didn't have to focus on it. He wanted to enjoy his new life while it lasted.

"Me? Handle the books? Never! I might sneeze, or learn something through osmosis," Lorelai hammed it up, almost making Garret laugh. Moving on, they began boxing everything else. Which is when Garret shut down. He couldn't handle it anymore. His little pep talk didn't last long enough. He was so angry, at his mom, his grandma, at himself. Sitting on the floor, knees to his chest, and head buried in his knees, he held the crumpled piece of paper he'd found next to the bed in one fist. He wasn't crying, but he didn't respond when Lorelai called his name. He felt like screaming, and knew if he let out a sound he would. Rory caught her mom's attention, and shaking her head slightly, slid to the floor next to Garret. Lorelai stood for a minute, but at Rory's nod, she sat down on the other side of him and held her tongue. After several minutes of silence, Garret turned his head and peeked at Rory.

"Can I see it?" she asked. He ducked his head down, but loosened his grip. Taking it as an affirmative, Rory opened his hand, and took the paper. Reading it quick, she passed it to her mom with a finger to her lips. Leaning her head back against the bed, Rory stretched her legs out in front of her. Lorelai smoothed the paper flat against her knee, and standing, carefully folded it at the small desk before placing it into the box with the books. Garret watched her actions from under his hair. Sitting down next to him, she mimicked Rory's position, and after a minute, Garret did the same. It was nice to rest, but at the same time, Lorelai thought she might jump out of her skin if something didn't happen soon. She was a talker, and this was killing her. It was right though. Rory's actions had already allowed them to read the letter, so she'd trust something was going to happen eventually. Course, she might be a barnacle ridden carcass by then. Only appearing in flesh when the moon shown through the window. Tempted to try to lighten the mood by speaking pirate, she knew they wouldn't get it anyway. Especially since they weren't involved in her inner monologue. Besides, wasn't it the opposite in the Pirates movies? Human by day, skelo-fish people by night? Plus the complete lack of water. What would be the land equivalent of barnacles? Spiders? My God, they'd be covered in webs before the week was out. Must think about something different now…Is this the tactic Rory used with Jess? Where did she learn it? Had she always known to do this? Is it why he was drawn to her from the start?

"I'm stupid," Garret said into the silence. Lorelai fought not to grab him and hug him, then shake him, and then hug him again.

"No. I wrote almost the same letter to my dad, Christopher. Until I was out of college, I think I could count on two hands how many times I'd seen him. But it didn't stop me from believing in him. Or wanting to believe in him. There's nothing wrong with wanting the best for everyone around you. Sometime, when you're older, I'll let you read the book Jess wrote me about his past. He doesn't talk about it. Although he might with you because you've been through some of the same stuff, but he wrote this book. It's about having and losing hope. How it changes you. We're not going to publish it the way it is, when he's ready, he's going to fictionalize his story," Rory said.

"Warn us when he starts so we can get the radios out, and hire Kirk to follow him around when he starts wandering. Maybe tie Snookums to him. Make sure he doesn't get lost in the past again," Lorelai said with a frown. Worried at the idea of Jess going through it again. "Garret, I'm not going to lie, or sugar coat as Jess says. Your letter was hard to read. Not because of you or how you felt. You couldn't see the future, and you should always have hope. It was hard to read because we know what happened next. We know it got rough again. But the boy who you were then, who had hope? He wasn't stupid. He was smart. Your letter? Very intelligent writing for a third grader. Better than Rory at the same age. Probably better than the kids your age now. You know what?" Lorelai said, standing, unable to handle it anymore. "I bet somewhere in this house, are pictures of your mom, and grandma. You should have those. You may not want them now, but when you're older, you might. I'm gonna go look for them and a will," she said, practically sprinting out of the room. Rory stood, holding her hand out to Garret.

"Breaks over, I guess. Come on, let's get back to work," Garret stood, and picked up another box. He hoped Lorelai found pictures, she was right. He did want them.

**A/N- A reviewer suggested Three Days Grace's song I Hate Everything About You fit chapter five. Really, I think it could be the soundtrack for many children's lives. It's human nature to want to love your parents. To have hope. It boggles the mind on occasion. Why they won't talk. Why they won't tell us the truth about what's happening at home. When we know. It's because they still love.**

**Thank you to all who read, and especially to those who review!**


	13. Chapter 13: Hair Shouldn't Do That

**It's 2 for 1 update day... although I'm back to work tomorrow, so it'll slow down a bit.**

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Thirteen: Hair Shouldn't Do That

Garret sat down on the brand new mattress, covered in brand new navy blue sheets, topped with a light blanket in a pattern of blues and blacks and leaned against the pile of brand new pillows covered in their brand new cases. He looked around the room, with its brand new paint job, and prayed he'd get to stay. Rory had placed his books on the shelves, and made a list of books she thought he might like. She promised to bring them over later. He believed she would do it too. She didn't seem the type to make empty promises. His clothes were in the closet and in the drawers, including the new stuff they thought he needed. Lorelai had even hung his mom's clothes, and he noticed she was careful with them as she placed them on hangers, and straightened sleeves. Although he didn't have many actual toys, they were in a bin on the closet floor along with the new shoes. He had to stop them in the shoe store. He tried to do what Jess said, he tried to take charge, but he still ended up with three new pairs. He couldn't imagine how much everything cost, but when he mentioned it, Rory laughed and said not to even try to stop a Gilmore when shopping. Rory even insisted her mom get a new desk. He didn't fight them on it and he felt guilty about it. It was bigger than the little wood one Rory used when living there, with a larger surface for drawing. He knew he couldn't quit smiling when he organized his art supplies in the drawers. The pictures Lorelai found, and his letter, went into a box on the top shelf in his closet. Lorelai thought he should put it lower, but he wanted it up high. If it was down low, he'd look in it too often. Everything was in its place here, and now he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Or why this was happening. A soft tap on his open door caught his attention.

"Hey, the room looks good. All unpacked?" Jess asked, leaning against the jam.

"Yeah, why did they do this?" Garret looked away. He hadn't meant to ask. Jess gave him a smirk.

"It's them. Can I come in?" he replied. Garret was surprised. No one had asked before, they always pushed in. He'd learned not to bother locking a door. It was a good way to get the door broken. He tilted his head and then nodded. Jess came in and sat at the desk, straddling the chair and leaning forward against the back.

"What do you mean it's them?"

"They talk a mile a minute, eat like hungry wolves, don't ever exercise, drink too much coffee, and are master manipulators. They go off on crazy tangents, they name everything. On the other hand, when they care about something, they care. It isn't fake. When they love, it's deep and true. And they already care about you. Without meeting you, they cared. See, I mentioned seeing you through the window, Rory made a phone call and I came home to her crying because she cared for you. Rory told Lorelai about you, and Lorelai cared as deeply as Rory did. Without meeting you. By now, after getting to know you, they already love you, you're part of the family," Jess said.

"What about Luke? Today, he said… I was surprised. He seems," Garret trailed off, and Jess chuckled.

"Let me tell you about Luke. He's quiet and gruff, sure. But he's a family man. Family means more to him than anything else in the world. Even baseball. His sister called him and said she 'couldn't handle me anymore, and by the way, I was already on a bus' and Luke took me into his home. He never even asked what I'd done. And even when I messed up here and did stupid things, on occasion illegal things, he always took my side. He might bust me for it later, but in front of anyone else, he backed me up. Even with Lorelai, he stood his ground. He found out he had a daughter when she was twelve. He went to court to fight for the right to be part of her life. Family is everything, and he wants to build a family with Lorelai. She wants you and after meeting you? He does too. I talked to him about it today," Jess said as Lorelai yelled from the living room.

"People! There are movies to be watched and snacks to eat. Come on. I'm hungry."

"We better go, don't want to keep a hungry Gilmore waiting," Garret said with his version of Jess's smirk. Jess ruffled his hair, sending warmth running from Garret's head to his toes.

"You're learning. Now remember, no matter how insane they get, if you talk during the movies, they'll get grumpy. There are very specific movie rules, which make no sense, but we follow them anyway. They'll fill you in, but what they won't tell you, is- don't ever eat the last of anything. Always leave at least one. Preferably two."

"And never ever say you dislike this movie. I have a list I'll give you later of movies you have to say you like, but this one, it's at the top," Luke whispered as they took their seats in the living room.

"Oh God, please, not again," Jess said, with his hands covering his face.

"Yup. What'd you expect? It's Garret's first movie night. Of course we're watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. At least Rory doesn't want you to dress up as an Oompa Loompa. I hate Halloween. Lorelai either wants to pull sausages out of my stomach or dress me in ridiculous costumes," Luke said as Lorelai and Rory came in bearing copious amounts of junk food. Garret's eyes grew wide when he saw the array of candy. Jess let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm down for watching Wonka, but please… please tell me the red and white cake and Swedish fish candy does not mean what I think it does? There has to be at least one movie every movie night Luke and I can watch. One. Please, I don't know if I can watch it again. Please," Jess begged.

"What? What does the cake mean?" Luke asked, beginning to panic.

"The cake, the cake is a lie," Jess whispered. Very few things could make Jess beg. Luke had only seen it once before, and it couldn't be. Lorelai had promised him, promised, he would never have to watch it again.

"Rory?" Luke asked, hoping he was wrong.

"I'm sorry. We have to, it's tradition."

"Tradition? Tradition?" Luke said, getting louder and standing, Lorelai interrupted.

"Awww… are you going to re-enact Fiddler on the Roof for us?" Rory began to giggle.

"Where's your beard and hat?" Jess asked, almost laughing. His lip was twitching, and Garret began to smile. Luke threw himself down on the couch, knowing he'd lost the battle.

"We can watch Fiddler on another day, but tonight… Tonight we Pippi!" Lorelai said happily as she plopped down on the couch between Luke and Garret and grabbed a bowl of popcorn off the table. Rory cast a wary eye toward Jess who was turning pale at the thought. Luke had closed his eyes and was taking shallow breaths.

"Is Pippi bad?" Garret asked and everyone spoke at once with Jess and Luke yelling 'Yes' and Rory and Lorelai yelling 'No.' Garret looked shocked at how vocal they were. Rory took pity on him.

"Let's let Garret decide, shall we. We'll see if he's a diner boy or a superior Gilmore."

"You're skipping a word. The end of your sentence is Girl. Gilmore Girl. And I highly doubt Garret wants to be a Gilmore Girl. Superior or not," Jess said.

"I don't want to be a Gilmore Girl, but, I'll give whatever Pippi is a chance," Garret said, and they settled down to watch the movies. At the end of Pippi, the three males were shell shocked. Rory and Lorelai were happy, basking in the glow of Pippi Longstocking.

"It isn't so much the implausibility of her actions," Jess said into the silence. "It's the townspeople around her. How normal they act during the absurdity."

"No, it's the song. The fact you two sing it on repeat and know it by heart. And the horse," Luke said.

"I think it's her hair. Hair doesn't do that. Hair shouldn't ever do that. It's not like Cindy Lou Who Hair, which you know is styled. It's her hair doing it naturally," Garret added, gaining a grin from Luke and a smirk from Jess. Lorelai huffed.

"First coffee, now Pippi? What's next? Red Vines? Tell me you like Red Vines. Redeem yourself, young Garret," Lorelai said with her hand on her heart.

"I like Red Vines, and the coffee wasn't terrible," Garret said, making everyone laugh.

"You're missing the point of Pippi, apprentice diner boy. She's great, fearless and brave. Now for the best movie," Rory said, clapping her hands.

"The yummiest actors. The most delicious plots. The tastiest action sequences. The most mouth watering scenery!" Lorelai added.

"It has chills, thrills, and literary references for Jess to chew on," Rory added with a smirk.

"Not to mention a helping of scientific principles and a dash of science fiction for Luke!" Lorelai said. "I give you, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!"

**A/N- If anyone hasn't read Iscah McKrae's story Pay The Piper, you should. There's a great chapter there where Jess and his daughter watch Pippi... disects the movie very well. Also an incredible story.**


	14. Chapter 14: A Golden Ticket

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Fourteen: A Golden Ticket

When the movie ended, Rory was sitting on the floor between Jess's legs using him as her chair. He was leaning against the couch. Lorelai was leaning against Luke humming the Oompa Loompa's song, and Garret was quiet. He laughed to begin with, but the longer he watched, the quieter he became.

"It's surreal isn't it?" Jess asked, turning his head Garret's direction.

"I don't know what surreal means," Garret replied. Jess was getting ready to explain it when Rory spoke.

"It means strange, bizarre, fantastical, and odd. Not just weird, but dreamlike almost. The scene with the boat, it's surreal."

"Yeah, I guess it is pretty surreal then," Garret said.

"No," said Jess. "I meant your life. Right now it feels surreal. Right? It did for me. The first time I was here for any length of time. It was so different from what I'd lived before."

"Yeah. Surreal is a good word. It's more though. It's like in the movie. I've got the golden ticket and I don't know what it means," Garret said, quiet.

"It means, you're my brother," Rory said.

"It means you're as close to a brother as I'll ever have, since Luke is the closest thing I've had to a father," Jess added.

"It means I want to be your mom, even though I know you already have one. I really want you to think of me as a mom. You can have more than one. Lots of kids do these days. But it also means I'll be happy with whatever you allow," Lorelai said, taking Garret's hand, squeezing, and then letting go. He was uncomfortable with the handholding, but they all did it. Rory and Lorelai held hands with everyone, and Luke and Jess didn't seem to mind. He decided he'd have to get used to it.

"Garret, I don't know how to be a father. Jess was sixteen when he came, April was twelve, and truthfully, both of them were pretty much raised. Rory was the closest I ever got to seeing a child grow up, and I'm not sure she was ever young. Your already eleven, and I think you're like Jess, April and Rory. Pretty much raised. So I hope you'll work with me and we can, I don't know, find our way together. I can teach you what I know, but I hope you'll ask for help if you need it. Because I don't have the instinctive parent knowledge to know when you do," Luke said. Jess looked at him in shock. So many words, so little truth.

"Bullshit. Excuse my language Garret, but Luke, that's bull," Jess said.

"Jess is right," Rory added. "Don't you believe him, Garret. You're looking at the best father in Connecticut as far as I'm concerned. Luke, you have more instinctive knowledge in your big toe than my dad has in his whole body. You might not have the practice, but you always know the right thing to do." Luke ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know how you can say that. I threw Jess out. Gave him an ultimatum. Drove him away."

"No, you set boundaries and rules for me to follow, and you know you would have let me stay after you cooled down," Jess said, with a smirk. "You helped me every time you knew I needed it. And Garret, the golden ticket is what you make out of it. Diner owner, inn owner, journalist, editor, writer, artist. For me, my golden ticket is Rory, and I think it's time I get her to bed so she stays nice and shiny." Helping Rory to her feet, Jess watched as she leaned down and hugged Garret, then Luke and lastly, her mom.

"My golden ticket has been my family, and even this town. The support they've given me. At a guess, I'd say Luke's golden ticket is the same as mine. I'm glad you're part of our family, Garret," Rory said, with a smile as she and Jess walked out the door.

"It's funny," Lorelai said, standing. "At sixteen, my golden ticket was Rory. She gave me a reason to change, to become more than I was. Now, I think it might be us. The three of us. It might not be easy at first, but I know, we're in the Wonka elevator looking at all the possibilities. Like Luke said, we'll find our way together. You should head to bed. If you need anything, we're right upstairs." Luke watched as Garret stopped in the doorway of his new room and turned back to face them.

"What time should I get up in the morning?" he asked.

"I open, so I'll be up at five, but Lorelai won't get up till nine or so," Luke replied as Lorelai scoffed.

"It's Sunday! And I have it off. Why do I need to get up at nine? How about eleven?"

"If you want pancakes, you'll be at the diner before ten," Luke said, folding his arms across his chest and anchoring his feet, ready to do battle. Lorelai smiled.

"Nine it is then." Garret grinned at her easy surrender, and then tried to hide it when Lorelai raised an eyebrow at him.

"Thank you for taking me in, for everything," he said, almost too quiet for them to hear. Luke gave an abrupt nod.

"You're welcome. Get some sleep. Tomorrow's another day," Luke said as he steered Lorelai up the steps to bed. Garret turned into his room, took another look around and gave a half smile. Tomorrow was the first day.


	15. Chapter 15: Enlisting Help

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Fifteen: Enlisting Help

Walking into the apartment complex, Jess knew this could be considered a bad idea. When he mentioned it to Luke, the look of surprised horror on Luke's face was almost enough to make him laugh. Almost. Even Miss Patty expressed dismay at the idea. Her "Do you really think that's such a good idea, sugar?" was still ringing in his ears. No matter. Glancing at the sky to make sure there was no lightening available to strike him dead, he knocked on the door. The silence after it opened was almost thick enough to touch. The cramp beginning in his neck forced him to speak.

"Hey Dean, can I come in? I have something I need to talk to you about," Jess said, keeping a calm expression despite Dean's glare. Opening the door wider, Dean gestured him into the living room. Jess immediately wandered over to the book shelves, he hadn't realized Dean read, his tastes leaning to horror and commercial thrillers, but still, he read. The shelves themselves were handmade and beautiful. Turning into the room, Jess noticed all the furniture looked well made. Unique.

"Did you make your furniture?" he asked. Dean gave him a withering look, he expected Jess to mock him. It was the furthest thing from Jess's mind. He was impressed. "Do you sell it? If you don't, you should." Jess said, running his hand across the smooth multi-wood top of a table.

"Really? You're not screwin' with me?" Dean asked, loosening up.

"You're an artist. Do you take commissions?" Dean nodded, and sat down in one of the chairs.

"Why are you here?" he asked. Jess sat down on the couch across from him.

"I'm hoping to get your help. I thought about asking Tom, but Rory suggested you instead." Dean raised his eyebrows, and pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Rory and I have been trying to help out Shane. You remember Shane?" Jess asked and watched Dean's face turn from puzzlement to a smirk.

"Rory's helping Shane? She hated her."

"Well, back then, yeah, but we're all older now. Shane owns the beauty shop and does Rory's hair. Or she did, till she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has three little kids and her ex has nothing to do with them. Rory's driving her to her chemo, and I've got Gypsy fixing her car, but there's a lot to be done at her house. Little things, to keep it safe for the kids. I'd get Luke to do it, but he's tied up right now. He and Lorelai are adopting Garret. I'd do it myself, but I don't have the skills." Jess forced himself to remain expressionless, despite his inner voice full of sarcastic comments, while Dean sat there, silent. Dean gave Jess a half smile.

"Not what I was expecting. So you want me to, I'm assuming here, donate my time and supplies to fix stuff at your ex-girlfriend's house?"

"Yeah. Putting it that way makes it sound outrageous, doesn't it? Maybe if you looked at it as donating your time, skills and supplies to someone in Stars Hollow whose going through a tough patch? Take me and the ex-girlfriend thing out of it," Jess forced himself to play nice. He wanted to convince Dean to help, but it didn't look like it was going to happen. Dean sat, watching him again.

"You've changed. A hell of a lot."

"Haven't we all? I'm sure you're different," Jess replied, trying to remain amicable but finding it harder the longer he sat. Dean shrugged.

"Maybe not as much as I'd hoped. I heard about the programs you helped start. I hired a guy Miss Patty said needed work. He's not bad, and he's a good guy with a family. Hopefully, life will be better for them now. Tell you what; I'll go over there, look around a little. I've got time before I start my next project. I'll do it because I'm part of this town."

"That's all I'm asking. Take a look around, see if it's stuff you have time to do. If it's not, let me know what it is and I'll see if I can find someone else," Jess said, standing to leave. Looking around again, he added, "Your stuff is pretty incredible. If you don't have a showroom, you should. I'm serious about commissioning a piece. I want to get Richard and Emily something special for their wedding anniversary. Their 50th is in April of 2015, Emily is already planning the party, but with Richard's heart, I don't want to wait till then. So I'd just give it to them as an early gift when it's complete, or for next year's anniversary."

"What were you thinking?" Dean asked.

"Hmmm, I don't know. Emily is a stickler for tradition, but in my research I couldn't find a traditional 48th gift, and the 48th modern is optical. 49th is luxury goods. How about matching boxes. A jewelry box type of thing for her, and a catch all type box for him using a variety of wood inlays like your table."

"It'd have to be top end wood, and it'd have to be detailed. I did a jewelry box for my mother, so I know I can do it. Anything special you'd like to see on the top?"

"I don't know, the wedding bands maybe? Something which symbolizes family?" Jess added, although he wasn't sure what it might be, or what could be done in wood.

"I'll draw up some plans and price it out. This was, interesting," Dean said, opening the door for Jess, who finally let out his trademark smirk.

"Yeah. Yeah it was. Drop stuff by the bookstore, anytime. And Dean? Thanks for hearing me out," Jess said, before walking down the hall. Dean watched him walk away. He and Jess had both changed. Neither one was angry at the world anymore. He didn't even really care about Jess and Rory being together. He'd fallen in love a couple of times since dating Rory. Granted they didn't work out, but he still had hope someday he'd meet someone to spend his life with. Fifty years with Emily Gilmore? Wow, there was hope. Looking out the window, he decided to head over to Shane's. It was a nice day, and he might as well be outside.


	16. Chapter 16: Knowing

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Sixteen: Knowing

Garret tucked in the dress shirt, and slipped his feet into the new dress shoes. Sitting on his bed, he stared at the pale grey wall now a backdrop for his sketches. He wondered if it would be bad to take his sketch book to the funeral.

"Hey? You ready?" Luke asked, glancing around the room. In the last three days, Garret had made it his own, and Luke was glad. With a longing glance at the sketchbook and pencils on the desk, Garret stood and moved out the door, walking through the living room, past Lorelai and out onto the porch. Luke snagged a couple of the pencils, and added them to the item in his suit coat's pocket before joining everyone outside.

For a funeral in Stars Hollow the turnout was sparse, but Lorelai didn't think Garret even noticed the people there, let alone the lack of them. Taylor had taken it upon himself to make the arrangements, keeping the service simple, and it wasn't long before they were outside, waiting to load into the cars to drive to the cemetery. Luke pulled a small sketch book and the pencils out of his pocket.

"It will be a few minutes before we leave," he said, handing the items to Garret, who took them gratefully and with the shy smile Luke was always hoping to see. Immersing himself in a sketch, Garret didn't notice the time pass as everyone chatted outside the church before his grandma's coffin was loaded into the hearse. He sketched through the ride to the cemetery. Walking to the gravesite, with Lorelai's arm around his shoulder, Garret held firm to the sketch he'd drawn. When Rory handed him a flower to lay on the coffin, he slid the sketch of his grandma's favorite ceramic unicorn under his flower, carefully placing them both. Flanked by Lorelai and Luke, he watched as the coffin was lowered, and then turned away. The small group followed him to the vehicles.

"Can we, can we go home now?" he asked as they approached. "Or to Luke's, or the town square? Anywhere but here."

"Of course," Lorelai said, watching warily as strangers approached their vehicle.

"Incoming. DSS, I'd bet," Jess said. Lorelai and Luke moved to stand protectively next to Garret.

"Hello, Garret. Do you remember us? We were sorry to hear about your grandmother," the older woman said.

"Hi," Garret replied, looking at the sketchbook in his hand.

"We'd like to talk to you for a couple of minutes, if it's okay."

"Can we see some I.D. and do you have to do this now? I mean," Luke interrupted, brushing his hand across his head, looking for his hat. "Garret wanted to leave here, go home or to the diner." The younger woman looked at Luke. Sizing up his annoyance and demeanor.

"We can move this elsewhere, but perhaps somewhere more private than a diner," she said, as she and the older woman passed their I.D.s to Luke.

"We can talk here. Then we can go home," Garret said. He wanted to get it over with so he could make it through the rest of the day with his family. His family. The thought echoed around his head, but it was easy to think of Luke, Lorelai, Rory and Jess as his family. It'd been like a dream, the last couple of days, but a good dream.

"You could talk in the car. We can wait at the benches," Jess said, attracting their attention. Rory gripped his hand tightly as they nodded. Moving to the benches, the couples sat close, holding hands and offering each other support. Lorelai was jittery.

"Why do they have to talk to him by himself? Why today?" she asked. Jess sighed, closed his eyes and opened them slowly. Lorelai could see the flash of pain he tried to hide.

"They'll always meet with him alone. Standard operating procedure. As for today? Catch him in a weak moment, he may disclose more, give more away. They always do this. You have nothing to hide, he'll be fine."

"He's not fine, he's sad," Lorelai said, waiting. In the car, the women from DSS pushed Garret to open up, to talk.

"They seem like nice people. Are they treating you well?"

"Yeah."

"And are you getting along?"

"Yeah."

"Garret, please. We only want what's best for you. We need to ask these questions so we can make a decision on whether to leave you where you are, and allow the adoption to go through, or to remove you. You have to talk to us," the older woman said, straightening the cuff of her sleeve. Garret watched her fingers moving, gathering his thoughts. How much? How much did they need?

"I want to stay with them," he said, hesitant. The younger woman gave him a smile in encouragement. "I didn't know, you see, I didn't know life could be like this."

"What do you mean?" the older lady asked, her voice prying.

"They laugh. A lot, and sometimes, it makes me laugh too. And this!" Garret said, holding up the little sketch book. "Luke gave me this at the funeral. They're always doing things like that."

"Giving you items? Do you think they're trying to buy your affection?" the younger woman asked, irritation threading through her words.

"No, it's not like they're trying to win me over. He knew I needed something during the waiting, and my sketch book was too big. This made me feel… better. When we went shopping, and they were buying me clothes, they didn't say 'you'll need this for your grandma's funeral.' They figured out my sizes and threw items in the cart so I'd have them today, without making a big deal about it, or even talking about it. I unpacked the bags of stuff and they were there. The first night at their house, we watched movies and then went to bed. I'm pretty sure Lorelai snuck downstairs and slept on the couch. She didn't say anything, but I saw her trying to stretch out her back, and Rory made a comment about how uncomfortable the couch has always been. I know it was in case I needed something in the middle of the night." Garret trailed off, nervous again.

"They sound like wonderful people," the younger woman said, with a soft smile as she ruffled Garret's hair. Everyone was always ruffling his hair, it was okay when Jess did it, or Luke, but jeeze. He was almost in middle school.

"Yeah," he said, looking out the window at the four of them waiting for him on the benches. "They are. Did you know they started food programs here, because they heard Grandma Betty wasn't buying me food? They didn't tell me, I overheard it in the square. Now lots of kids are helped."

"Our research has shown they're very involved in their community. It sounds as if everything is working out. Let's get out of this hot car. Get you back to your new family. We'll be by in the next few days to do a home visit and talk to your teachers. Make sure you're adjusting. On paper, this is an ideal situation. If you have any reservations, tell us," the older woman said. After shaking everyone's hands, the DSS personnel left, and Luke draped one arm over Garret's shoulder as they headed out of the cemetery.


	17. Chpt17-People on the Edge of the Night

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

**Only one more chapter after this one. Thank you for the reviews!**

Chapter Seventeen: People On The Edge Of The Night

Lorelai worked her way through the security measures without her usual wit. Unsure of what she was hoping to accomplish, unsure of her motivation, she was silent. When she broached the idea to Benjamin, he nodded, as if he understood and he made it possible. But she didn't understand, not really. Following the guard into a small room, Lorelai listened to his instructions and sat on the correct side of the small table. Waiting, she focused on the plain institutional green walls. Turning her head at the sound of the door, she forced herself to remain calm as the woman shuffled in. The orange pants fit loose at her thin waist and bagged at her tiny chained ankles. Her gray t-shirt hung off her shoulders, the neck line emphasizing her collar bones. Garret had her eyes. The same grayish blue with mile long eye-lashes.

"Got to lock you down, Alex. Can't have you hurting your first visitor," the guard said as he secured her to the bolted down chair. Alex grinned at him before cocking her head at Lorelai.

"Don't know the bitch, why would I hurt her?" The guard shrugged his shoulders before focusing on Lorelai, whose stomach clenched at the idea she was the first visitor. And at the head tilt. Garret had the same habit.

"When you're done, ring the bell and we'll let you out," he said before closing the door behind him. Lorelai met Alex's eyes.

"Gonna talk or just stare at me?"

"I normally don't have any trouble talking, but I'm not sure why I'm here," Lorelai replied, picking at a rough spot on the table with her manicured nails. Alex laughed, tossing her short brown hair.

"I don't have a fucking clue," she said, and then as a thought hit her, leaned forward. "Is this about my kid? I heard the old bat died two months ago. Who are you?" Lorelai took a deep breath.

"I want to adopt Garret, and I can because they took away your rights. I guess I wanted to meet you first. He loves you. You'll always be his mother. So I wanted to come here and see you. See if I could see him in you? I don't know why I'm here. I only knew I had to visit."

"See him in me? God, I hope not. He's nothing like me, and I don't want him to ever be. I was glad when I got the letter saying they took him away from me. Before I could ruin him. I know myself. I know if I got out of here tomorrow, I'd be back on drugs. I like drugs, how they make me feel. How they wipe everything but me away. I miss the fucking drugs. Yeah, I love my kid, but now I know. Now I know I love the drugs more. And he's so good. He's so good it makes me hate myself. I've come to terms with it in here. 'Cause I have a lot of years to go. Another six before they consider parole, and he'll be a man then. So yeah. Fuck it. Adopt him and make him happy." Alex sat back, looking at the woman in front of her, who could obviously give Garret more than she ever could. Not that Garret would care. No, he was a good kid. "I have something for him. A letter. Nothing bad, just saying I'm sorry for screwing up. Wishing him luck. I didn't know where to send it. Can I get it to you?" Lorelai didn't know what to say, Benjamin and the social worker had both warned her not to disclose any personal information. She hadn't even worn her wedding ring. Sighing, she nodded.

"Will they let me wait while you go back to get it?" she asked, thinking it would be the easiest way. And she'd read it first. Decide with Luke, Jess and Rory if they'd even give it to Garret, or when.

"Ring the bell. Let's find out," Alex replied. The guard came in, and offered to go to her cell to get it. Knowing they were probably tossing it anyway, Alex told him where to find the letter. The women waited, quiet, till Alex drew in on herself. Finding some strength, she spoke. Voice soft, hesitant.

"How, how's he doing? I worried when I heard they were sending him to my mom's. She was not a nice woman. I'd run from her early, when I was fourteen, but I still tried to go home when I found out I was pregnant, she didn't let me stay. Wanted me to get married, but I didn't know who the father was. Hell, never did figure it out. She could be vicious, verbally mostly."

"Garret's an incredible kid. Bright, artistic and sweet. He misses you. We have some pictures, every once in a while, he goes through the box. He sketches and is learning how to cook. At first I worried he was alone too much, but he's made some friends, and watching them hang out and laugh together, well… It's a good thing. I don't think it was easy for him at your mom's. He doesn't mention her much," Lorelai said. Alex nodded, before looking down, staring at her rough hands, nails bitten to the quick.

"Give him the letter. Someday, if he wants to see me, I'd like it. If he doesn't, I understand. He should move on. The shit I put him through? No kid should have to deal with it," she said as the guard walked back in with the letter. "You should go, adopt him. Make him happy. He deserves to be happy." Lorelai stood, picked up the letter and nodding to the woman sitting at the table, almost ran out of the room. Following the guard out of the security doors, she reached the main hall and leaned against the wall before bursting into tears. The guard stood silent while she cried, knowing he wouldn't have any luck moving her. Pulling herself together, she accepted the Kleenex from the guard and wiped her eyes.

"Sorry about the breakdown," she said. He nodded.

"Are you her sister? She's never had a visitor before."

"No, I'm adopting her son. After everything she did, he loves her, and I felt like I should meet her. Now, because of what she said in there, I can see it."

"See what?" he asked, confused by the woman walking next to him. Reaching the exit, she spoke, and her words made something tighten in his chest. Something he thought was long gone after working as a prison guard day after day.

"I can see why he loves her, because now, I sort of love her too."

**A/N- Title of this chapter is a lyric from Bowie/Queen's Under Pressure. This chapter is "inspired" by the song. **_**'Cause love's such an old fashioned word And love dares you to care for The people on the edge of the night.**_** I didn't spell it out in the chapter, that Lorelai was floored by Alex's honesty, I didn't think it needed it. But here I am, writing an author's note, to explain. So maybe it did. **


	18. Chapter 18: I Do

**Here you go, the last chapter. I would like to thank everyone who came on this ride with me. I'm hoping some day the boy whose life this is based on gets a chance at a Stars Hollow life. Remember, reviews inspire. They even, on occasion, lead writers to new stories...**

**Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.**

Chapter Eighteen: I Do

The airport was teaming with people, and Garret was doing quick sketches while Lorelai tapped her foot.

"Where are they? Their plane landed hours ago!" she said, standing to pace around him.

"Minutes ago, not hours, and they'll be here," Luke said. "Be patient." Shrugging his shoulders at Garret and Lorelai's identical looks of amazement, Luke resumed watching his feet. Telling a Gilmore to be patient was akin to trying to cut coffee out of their diets. Fruitless and possibly incendiary.

"But it's been forever and ever and ever," Lorelai said. Rory and Jess had taken a trip, but other than the fact they were flying in from Minneapolis, no one knew where they'd been. Garret thought they kept it a secret to drive Lorelai nuts. Luke thought it was to keep her from crashing their two week long vacation. "Look! There they are," Lorelai screeched as she ran to hug Rory. Jess smirked and walked past the duo to where Luke and Garret were waiting.

"You know you're next, right?" he said to Garret, who pretended to be embarrassed by the idea. Giving in to his own feelings, Jess grabbed Garret with one arm and putting him in a headlock, rubbed the top of his head in a very non-Jess way. Luke looked on, smiling, his boys were both happy.

"Hey! Quit beating up my little brother," Rory said, pulling Garret away and hugging him tight. "How are you? Everything good? Mom turned you into a Gilmore yet?" Rory asked. Garret smirked, then let it turn into a genuine smile.

"Nope. I'm all Danes. I can flip pancakes now."

"Really? Not fair. Luke, you never taught me how to flip pancakes. How come he gets to learn and I don't?" Rory said, throwing out the pout. Luke sighed.

"Maybe because I don't want my diner to burn down?"

"What? You let him in the diner kitchen? These aren't even home cooked pancakes? They're actual diner cakes? Ohhh, you owe me Daddy Danes. I've been slighted," Rory said, hands on her hips.

"If you're a good girl, who doesn't pout or act jealous of her little brother, I might show you how to make my coffee grounds blend. The correct ratio of the two different types I use. But you have to put the pout away and give me a hug," Luke said, opening his arms and welcoming Rory home.

"Come on, we're going to be late," Garret said, grinning at the scene in front of him, but wanting to get to the court house. It was an important day. Checking their watches in an almost identical motion, Luke and Jess hurried everyone out of the waiting area to the baggage claim, and then to the car.

Arriving in plenty of time, they waited for the judge to finish the case ahead of theirs. Luke and Lorelai were nervous, Rory and Jess couldn't quit smiling, and Garret was strangely calm. He'd been waiting for this day. It sounded so sappy, and cheesy, and kinda like he was a stray dog, but he'd been waiting for his forever family. The clerk called them as Richard and Emily rushed into the hallway. Following them into the courtroom, they sat next to Rory and Jess in the first row. Lorelai and Luke took their places next to Garret. Benjamin introduced Luke and Lorelai to the judge and Garret's DSS appointed attorney introduced him. After a few minutes reviewing the paperwork, the judge set it down, folded his hands in front of him, and took stock of the trio. Luke and Lorelai were not holding hands nervously, the way some couples did. They stood on either side of Garret. Lorelai had her hand on his arm, and Luke and Garret's arms were touching. Casting his gaze around the room, he perused the happy smiles of the younger couple. The older couple he knew socially, and he was pleased they were attending this event to show their support.

"Let us begin. Generally, this is a room full of disputes, anger, and fear. Cases like this, where I am able to create families, help wash away the sad things I deal with daily. A case like yours renews my faith. As a judge, I have some leniency with this finalization. Truthfully, only our signatures are required, every t has been crossed and every i dotted. However, I believe it should be special. In my conversation with Richard on the golf course this morning, where I beat him soundly, I decided on which ceremony I wanted to use. If Richard and Emily, Rory and Jess could join us please?" the judge said, and then waited for them to move down next to the group.

"Luke Danes, do you take Garret into your home and heart, and agree to now have the relationship of father to him, to instruct and guide him on his path to becoming a man?"

"I do," Luke said, forcing the words out through his emotion.

"Lorelai Gilmore-Danes, do you take Garret into your home and heart and agree to now have the relationship of mother to him, to support and encourage him, being there during both sorrow and happiness?"

"I do," Lorelai said, her eyes welling with tears.

"Jess Mariano, do you take Garret to be your brother, to be someone he can look up to, to count on, drawing from your own experiences when needed?"

"I do," Jess said, swallowing hard.

"Rory Gilmore-Mariano, do you take Garret to be your brother, to be someone he can come to, and talk to, advising when needed?"

"I do," Rory said, tears streaking down her cheeks, despite her smile.

"Richard and Emily Gilmore, do you take Garret to be your grandson, to share with him your love of literature and travel? To teach him the value of service to others?"

"I do," Richard and Emily said together, smiling at their friend and happy to be included in the happy moment.

"Garret, do you take Luke and Lorelai to be your parents? To listen to them, to follow their guidelines, to be their son?"

"I do."

"Do you take Jess and Rory to be your brother and sister? Understanding the relationship is reciprocal, meaning you will be there for them when they need you?"

"I do."

"Do you take Richard and Emily to be your grandparents? Helping to keep them young by allowing them to see things through your eyes?"

"I do."

"Garret, I understand you picked a new name?" the judge said, smiling.

"Yes sir," Garret replied. When Lorelai mentioned it to him, she had suggested he pick a favorite artist or movie star for a middle name. She also suggested Willy Wonka, but he assumed she was joking. "I would like to be Garret Mariano Gilmore-Danes," Garret announced, his voice strong. Jess laughed.

"Mariano isn't a very good middle name. I appreciate it, but it isn't necessary to saddle yourself with it," Jess said, ruffling Garret's hair. Garret narrowed his eyes.

"Garret Mariano Gilmore-Danes," he repeated. Jess stilled, stubborn blue meeting intense brown. Smirking, Jess answered, repeating.

"Garret Mariano Gilmore-Danes, it is then."

"The court finds it in Garret Mariano Gilmore-Danes' best interest that this adoption be granted. Please step forward to sign the paperwork," the judge said, grinning at the new family in front of him, engaged in a tight group hug. Garret pulled away first.

"Hey mom? Can we go? I'm starving."


End file.
